Strawberry Cheesecake Crunch Dessert (Printable)
Creamy cheesecake layered with fresh strawberries and crispy sweet topping
# What You’ll Need:
→ Crust & Crunch Topping
01 - 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
02 - 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
03 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
05 - 1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)
→ Cheesecake Filling
06 - 16 oz cream cheese, softened
07 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
08 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
09 - 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
→ Strawberry Layer
10 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
11 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
02 - Combine graham cracker crumbs, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, sugar, and melted butter in a bowl. Mix until well blended and evenly moistened.
03 - Spread half the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes until slightly golden and crisp. Cool completely. Reserve remaining unbaked mixture for topping.
04 - Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Beat again until creamy and well incorporated.
05 - Whip cold heavy cream in a separate bowl until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully combined and smooth.
06 - Combine diced fresh strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss to coat and set aside for 10 minutes to release juices.
07 - In a 9x9-inch dish or individual serving glasses, layer in this order: half the baked crunch, half the cheesecake filling, macerated strawberries, remaining cheesecake filling, reserved unbaked crunch, and white chocolate chips if desired.
08 - Refrigerate assembled dessert for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to meld and texture to set properly before serving.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The texture contrast is unreal, crispy and creamy in every single spoonful
- No water bath needed and nobody has to know it came together in under an hour
02 -
- The unbaked crunch topping on top stays slightly crumbly and gives you that perfect textural contrast against the creamy cheesecake
- Macerating the strawberries is not optional, it creates that natural strawberry syrup that seeps into the layers
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients are non negotiable for the silkiest cheesecake layer possible
- A light touch when folding the whipped cream keeps all that air you just whipped into the mixture