Description
These deviled strawberries are a fun no-bake dessert made with fresh berries filled with a light cheesecake-style cream and finished with a crunchy crumb topping.
Ingredients
Scale
- 24 large fresh strawberries
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1 tablespoon melted butter (optional, to bind crumbs)
- Pinch of fine sea salt (optional)
- Fresh mint leaves or chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Rinse the strawberries under cool water, then gently pat them completely dry with paper towels.
- Slice the leafy tops off each strawberry so they have a flat base. If needed, trim a very thin slice from the pointed end so they stand upright.
- Cut an X into the pointed end of each strawberry, stopping about three-quarters of the way down so the berry stays intact and can be opened slightly for filling.
- Place the prepared strawberries on a tray or platter and set them aside while you make the filling.
- In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until completely smooth and creamy.
- Add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and a small pinch of salt, then beat again until the mixture is silky and well combined.
- In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks.
- Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until you have a light, fluffy cheesecake-style filling.
- If the filling seems too soft to pipe, chill it in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Spoon the filling into a piping bag fitted with a star tip, or into a zip-top bag with one corner snipped off.
- Carefully pipe the filling into the X-cut tops of each strawberry, letting the berry open slightly as it fills.
- In a small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs with the melted butter, if using, until the crumbs are lightly moistened.
- Sprinkle the graham cracker mixture over the filled strawberries, coating the tops of the cream.
- Garnish the deviled strawberries with fresh mint leaves or chocolate shavings if desired.
- Refrigerate the tray until chilled and serve the deviled strawberries within a few hours for the best texture.
Notes
- Use the largest, firmest strawberries you can find so they hold the filling and stand upright on the platter.
- Dry the strawberries very well after washing to help prevent the filling from sliding off and the berries from getting soggy.
- You can make the cheesecake filling up to 1 day ahead, then pipe it into the strawberries just before serving.
- For a lighter version, replace half of the cream cheese with thick Greek yogurt and sweeten to taste.
- To keep this dessert gluten free, swap the graham cracker crumbs for chopped nuts or gluten-free cookie crumbs.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 deviled strawberries
- Calories: 90
- Sugar: 9
- Sodium: 40
- Fat: 5
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Unsaturated Fat: 2
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 15