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I was looking for the perfect strawberry dessert, and this Strawberry Delight blew me away! It’s got the buttery crust, creamy layers, and juicy strawberries—way better than I imagined!
Your New Favorite Summer Dessert
- Layers of Flavor: I’m talking buttery shortbread, creamy cheese, sweet jello, and fluffy whipped cream—This strawberry delight is SO good.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a backyard BBQ, family gathering, or just because, this dessert will for sure get rave reviews.
- Cool and Refreshing: With fresh strawberries, a creamy texture, and fruity jello, it’s the perfect treat when you need something light and refreshing on a warm day!
Strawberry Delight Ingredients
- Graham Cracker Crust: You can use a graham cracker crust instead. Combine 2 cups graham cracker crumbs, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter, and ¼ teaspoon salt, then press it into the bottom of the 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350ºF for 13-15 minutes, then let it cool completely before continuing with the layers as directed.
- Whipped Cream Substitute: You can replace the Cool Whip with homemade whipped cream. Whip 2 cups chilled heavy cream with ⅓ cup powdered sugar until medium stiff peaks form.
- Chill the Equipment: Cold cream whips faster! For extra speed, freeze the bowl and beaters for 10–15 minutes first in addition to chilling the heavy cream.
If You Like It Extra Creamy…
I had a few “is this even enough filling?” moments while making this strawberry delight. It turned out fine, but the layers are definitely on the thinner side. If you want a thicker, richer filling, you can add another 8 oz of cream cheese and bump the sugar to ½ cup!
How to Make Strawberry Delight
Trust me when I say that you will want to bring this to every family get together this year! It’s so perfect and the kids come back for seconds– that is a WIN!
Crust
- Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish with nonstick pan spray and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the butter and cut in with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the mixture until it begins to form a dough but is still quite dry and crumbly.
- Bake the Crust: Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 25-28 minutes until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Filling
- Add the Strawberries: Spread the chopped strawberries evenly over the cooled crust.
- Mix the Cream Cheese Layer: Add the cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth.
- Make the Whipped Cream: In a separate bowl, add the heavy cream and powdered sugar and beat until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
- Start Assembly: Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the top of the chopped strawberries and smooth evenly. Place in the fridge to chill while you prepare the strawberry jello layer.
- Make the Jello Layer: Add the strawberry jello mix and lemon juice to the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture. Stir by hand until fully combined and no streaks remain. Spread evenly over the cream cheese layer. Chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes.
- Chill and Add Topping: Top the strawberry layer with the whipped topping and smooth over the top. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours to let it set up completely. Top with sliced or chopped strawberries, if desired, and serve strawberry delight chilled.
Gelatin Tip
Don’t stress if the gelatin looks speckled—it’ll dissolve more as it chills.
How to Store Leftover Strawberry Delight
Store this strawberry delight covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. The longer it sits, the more the fresh strawberries will weep and make the crust soggy, but it’s still delicious days later!
More Delicious Strawberry Desserts
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Classic Strawberry Delight
My strawberry delight is a cool, creamy, layered dessert with buttery crust, cream cheese filling, and juicy fresh strawberries.
Equipment
- 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
Layers
- 1 pound diced fresh Strawberries
- 2 (8-ounce) packages softened cream cheese
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup strawberry gelatin mix not prepared
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 (8-ounce) container thawed whipped topping
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 x 3-inch baking dish with nonstick pan spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour, ⅔ cup powdered sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add 1 cup unsalted butter and cut in with a fork or pastry blender until crumbly. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the mixture until it forms a dough but is still quite dry and crumbly.
- Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 25-28 minutes, until golden brown around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Layers
- Spread 1 pound diced fresh Strawberries evenly over the cooled crust.
- For the cream cheese layer, add 2 (8-ounce) packages softened cream cheese, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, add 1 cup chilled heavy whipping cream and ¼ cup powdered sugar and beat until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until smooth.
- Spread half of the cream cheese mixture over the top of the chopped strawberries and smooth evenly. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the strawberry jello layer.
- Add ⅓ cup strawberry gelatin mix and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture and stir by hand until fully combined and no streaks remain. Spread evenly over the cream cheese layer and chill in the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes.
- Top the strawberry layer with 1 (8-ounce) container thawed whipped topping and smooth over the top. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours to let it set up completely.
- Top with sliced or chopped strawberries, if desired, and serve chilled.
Nutrition
Calories: 354kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 76mgSodium: 170mgPotassium: 114mgFiber: 1gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 957IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
