Strawberry Lush - Balancing Motherhood (2024)

This cool and refreshing Strawberry Lush recipe has a homemade cookie crust with layers of decadent no-bake cheesecake, a fluffy strawberry Jello mixture, and a whipped cream topping. This dessert is so delicious and satisfying that you’ll look forward to making it any time of the year.

Strawberry Lush Dessert

This Strawberry Cheesecake Lush is the ultimate summer dessert! This recipe lightens things up a bit from the traditional recipe by swapping the usual pie filling with a luscious, fluffy strawberry jello layer. Not only is it light and refreshing but the pretty pink layer, nestled between the two other layers, makes such a beautiful presentation.

The cream cheese layer is filled with little bites of juicy strawberries and is full of cheesecake flavor, while the Golden Oreo crust brings a delightful crunch, and includes just a pinch of salt to balance out the sweetness. And the best part of all is you won’t believe how easy it is to whip up without ever having to turn on your oven.

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Why We Love This Recipe

• Easy dessert recipe:This is a no bake dessert that’s made with simple ingredients you can find in any grocery store.
• Cool and fluffy:Most strawberry delight dessert recipes use a heavy pie filling layer but this one uses a delicious, fluffy strawberry jello and cool whip filling instead.
• Pretty layers:From the cheesecake layer studded with ruby red strawberries and the pink jello layer to the white whipped topping, this recipe makes an impressive dessert perfect for special occasions.

Ingredients

For the crust

• Golden Oreo cookies
• Unsalted butter, melted
• Salt (optional to balance out sweetness)

For the cheesecake layer:

• Full fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• Pure vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar
• Cool Whip, thawed
• Diced strawberries, patted dry

For the pink strawberry jello layer:

• Instant strawberry gelatin mix
• Boiling water
• Ice water
• Whipped topping, thawed

For the Topping

• Whipped topping, thawed
• Fresh strawberries
• Golden Oreo crumbs

Recommended Tools

• Food processor
• Electric mixer (hand or stand mixer)
• 9 x 13 baking pan

How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Lush

Step One: Make the First Layer

• Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. Add the Golden Oreos into the food processor and pulse until you get fine crumbs.
• Transfer the cookie crumbs into a small mixing bowl and then add the melted butter and salt. Stir until all the crumbs are evenly coated.
• Press the cookie mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use the bottom of a glass or measuring cup to help press it firmly into an even layer. Place the prepared crust into the freezer to chill while making the next layer.

Step Two: Make the Cheesecake Layer

• In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer on medium high speed, beat the cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy. Gradually add in the confectioners’ sugar and beat well, making sure to scrape down the side of the bowl occasionally.
• Using an offset spatula, fold in one 8-ounce tub of the thawed Cool Whip.
• Then fold in the diced strawberries.
• Take the crust out of the freezer and then spread the cream cheese mixture evenly onto the cookie layer. Use an rubber spatula and spread it out and try to remove any air pockets. Place the baking pan back into the freezer while preparing the strawberry jello layer.

Step Three: Make the Jello Layer

• In a clean mixing bowl, combine the strawberry jello powder with boiling hot water and stir together until fully dissolved.
• Add the ice water. It should be ¾ cup water, including the ice. Mix it in until the ice completely melts. The liquid should now be cold to touch. If not, then allow it to cool completely.

• Once cooled, mix in one 8-ounce tub of Cool Whip and stir together until well blended. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes and to allow the jello mixture to thicken up.
• After the strawberry jello mixture has chilled, remove the baking pan from the freezer and then add the pink strawberry layer evenly on top of the cream cheese layer.

Step Four: Chill until Set, Garnish and Serve

• Place the baking pan into the refrigerator and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to give the jello layer the time it needs to set completely.
• Once the top layer has set and firmed up, add the last Cool Whip layer and spread evenly on top.
• Garnish with extra sliced strawberries. You can also add additional cookie crumbs on top of the strawberries if you’d like.
• Serve chilled and enjoy!

Dessert Recipe Variations:

• Chocolate toppings:Strawberries and chocolate are always great together. You can sprinkle the top with chocolate shavings or drizzle it with a little chocolate syrup.
• Chopped nuts: Add finely chopped nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pecans over the whipped topping for a bit of added crunch.
• Crust options:Swap the Golden Oreo crust for classic Oreos. You can also use traditional graham cracker crumbs to make the crust. Or even shortbread cookies or vanilla wafers for a slightly different taste and texture.
• Raspberry or cherry version:You can make this same dessert with raspberry or cherry Jello instead of strawberry.
• Mixed berries:Mixed fresh berries into the cheesecake layer is a great option. Blueberries and blackberries give the dessert the perfect colors for a patriotic holiday.
• Festive sprinkles:If you’re making this for a birthday party or other special occasion, you top the dessert with colorful sprinkles for a fun and festive touch.

How Long Does This Layered Dessert Last?

This recipe can be made a day in advance, and it is best eaten within 1-2 days of being prepared. If you have leftovers, wait to garnish with the strawberries until ready to serve. The longer this strawberry lush dessert sits in the refrigerator, the more juice escapes from the fresh strawberries causing the cheesecake layer to get a little watery.

Top Tips

• You’ll want to use regular Golden Oreos and not the double-stuffed one because it will cause the crust to be too soft. Single-stuffed cookies add the perfect amount of sweetness and also help the crust to stick together.
• Because the crust is not baked, freezing it immediately after pressing it into the baking pan helps the crust to set up faster plus helps to keep it together when slicing the dessert.
• Don’t be tempted to add more sugar to the cheesecake mixer. The Jello layer and the crust have sugar which gives it the right amount of sweetness.
• Instead of store-bought whipped topping, you can opt to make your own with heavy whipping cream. Just add it to a large bowl with a little powdered sugar and beat it, using the whisk attachment, on medium speed until stiff peaks form.
• To get the nice clean layers when slicing it, freeze each layer for it for 15-30 minutes before adding the next one.

More Easy No Bake Desserts

• Peanut Butter Bars
• Cherry Cheesecake
• Peanut Butter Pie
• Banana Split Cake
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Dessert