Description
Indulgent homemade strawberry crunch cheesecake combines creamy textures with crisp graham cracker layers. Sweet strawberry notes and classic cheesecake richness create an irresistible dessert experience for home bakers.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 bricks (8 oz/226 g) cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 1 small box (3.3 oz/93 g) strawberry gelatin
- 1 lb (454 g) vanilla cream cookies (about 34 cookies)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 6 tbsps butter, melted
- 1 cup boiling water
- ½ small tub whipped topping, thawed
- 10 strawberry wafer cookies (about 4 oz/113 g)
- Crushed vanilla cream cookies
- Crushed strawberry wafers
Instructions
- Crumb Creation: Pulverize vanilla cream cookies into fine powder using a food processor, ensuring a uniform, sandy consistency.
- Crust Formation: Blend melted butter with cookie crumbs, pressing mixture firmly and evenly into a greased 10-inch springform pan. Freeze for 15 minutes to solidify.
- Gelatin Preparation: Dissolve strawberry gelatin in boiling water, stirring thoroughly for two minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature.
- Cream Mixture: Whip cream cheese and sugar until silky smooth. Separately, beat heavy cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Layering Technique: Fold half the whipped cream into cream cheese mixture. Combine remaining whipped cream with cooled gelatin. Pour half the strawberry mixture onto chilled crust, freeze briefly to set.
- Filling Assembly: Spread cream cheese layer over partially set strawberry base. Top with remaining strawberry gelatin mixture.
- Decorative Topping: Crush remaining vanilla cream cookies and strawberry wafers. Optionally tint with food coloring. Scatter crushed mixture generously across cheesecake surface.
- Chilling and Finishing: Refrigerate for minimum four hours to set and meld flavors. Before serving, pipe whipped cream rosettes using a star-tipped pastry bag for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Crumb Consistency Matters: Ensure cookie crumbs are ultra-fine and uniform to create a perfectly smooth, compact crust that holds together beautifully.
- Gelatin Timing is Critical: Cool strawberry gelatin to room temperature without refrigerating to maintain the right texture and prevent unwanted crystallization.
- Layering Technique: Freeze briefly between strawberry and cream cheese layers to create distinct, clean-cut sections that look stunning when sliced.
- Chilling is Non-Negotiable: Allow a full four-hour refrigeration to let flavors meld and ensure the cheesecake sets to a perfect, slice-able consistency.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: None
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 9
- Calories: 495
- Sugar: 36 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 23 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg