No Bake Strawberry Shortcake (Printable)
Creamy whipped cream cheese layered with macerated strawberries and crushed graham crackers, chilled until set.
# What You Need:
→ Strawberry Layer
01 - 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
→ Cream Layer
04 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
05 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
→ Cookie Layer
08 - 20 sheets graham crackers or vanilla shortbread cookies, crushed
→ Assembly and Garnish
09 - Fresh sliced strawberries, optional
10 - Fresh mint leaves, optional
# Steps:
01 - Combine sliced strawberries with granulated sugar and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes until the fruit releases juices.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
03 - In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully blended.
04 - Spread half of the crushed graham crackers or cookies into the base of a 9x9 inch baking dish. Top with half of the cream mixture, followed by half of the macerated strawberries and their juices. Repeat layering with remaining crackers, cream, and strawberries.
05 - Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the layers to firm and flavors to meld.
06 - Before serving, garnish with additional fresh strawberries and mint leaves if desired. Serve chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This is the kind of chilled treat that secretly gets better the longer it sits in the fridge.
- If you dislike messy baking days, you'll adore how quickly this comes together.
02 -
- I once tried rushing the chilling stage and ended up with a dessert that collapsed the second it hit the plate.
- Swapping in vanilla shortbread cookies for the graham crackers made the whole thing taste like a bakery treat.
03 -
- Letting the cream cheese fully soften before mixing saves you from lumps.
- Macerate the strawberries until they're syrupy—don’t rush, that's where so much flavor comes from.