Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert

While the berries are ripe and juicy, it’s time to whip up this exquisite Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert!! There’s no baking involved in making this dreamy recipe that’s perfect for summer dining!

Strawberry Cheesecake Lush

I’ve been seeing “lush” recipes all over the Internet. I’m not exactly sure what a lush is, but they all seem to be dreamy, creamy, no-bake fruit desserts. I’d say the majority have whipped topping and many use pudding mixes. The temptation to make a luscious “lush” dessert has been gnawing away at me all summer. Especially after drooling over these 21 No Bake Layered Dessert Lush Recipes! Plus, any dessert where you don’t have to turn on the oven, like this Peanut Butter Cookie Lasagna, is perfect for summer. No-bake desserts are wonderful for those sultry days.

I decided to try my hand on a Cool Whip and pudding free version, hoping it would be tasty enough to deserve the “lush” title. With such beautiful summer berries available, I started experimenting with a strawberry cheesecake lush! It turned out to be heaven on a plate! The hubby gave this Strawberry Cheesecake Lush his seal of approval, too. If you love strawberry desserts as much as I do, check out this retro Mile High Strawberry Pie recipe, too.

What Is a Lush?

If you’re like me, a lush is someone who enjoys drinking a bit too much. But in the culinary world, a lush is a dessert that wasn’t around, or at least wasn’t called a lush, when I was a child. Typically, a lush is an unbaked dessert that’s similar to what you might know as a dessert lasagna, icebox dessert or no-bake pudding cake. It’s layered starting with a graham cracker or cookie crust, pudding, and whipped cream or Cool Whip.

Tips for Making a No-Bake Lush Dessert

• My inspiration for this strawberry cheesecake lush used Cool Whip, but I prefer less processed ingredients so used a substitute made of real whipped cream and cream cheese.
• For a summer, no-bake dessert, do not bake the crust. It’s not as firm as if it had spent some time in the oven, but it also can be baked and cooled before proceeding with the recipe. Bake at 350º for about 10 minutes.

• To make the filling, the cream cheese must be at room temperature for the best results. It will mix with the other ingredients much better when soft.
• On the other hand, the whipped cream will whip best when both the cream and the bowl are well chilled.

• An offset spatula is the perfect tool for spreading even layers.
• For company, have fresh strawberries to garnish each slice!

More Summer Dessert Recipes You’ll Love: 

• Homemade Snow Cone Syrup from Love Bakes Good Cakes
• Mini Cherry Almond Galettes from The Bitter Side of Sweet
• Summer Fruit Dessert Pizza from Big Bear’s Wife
• Mixed Berry Torte 
• Vanilla Panna Cotta with Strawberry Gelee
• Berry Topped Chocolate Silk Tart 
• Strawberry Cheesecake Parfaits
• Favorite Summer Recipes 
• Strawberry Pie Dessert
• Fresh Strawberry Tartlets
• More of the Best Dessert Recipes

Products Used to Make This Strawberry Cheesecake Lush:

• KitchenAid 9-Speed Hand Mixer 
• Small Offset Spatula
• 10 Piece Nesting Glass Mixing Bowl Set

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The Recipe:

Strawberry Cheesecake Lush Dessert

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Yield 24 servings

An exquisite layered strawberry dessert. Adapted from numerous recipes including Small Town Woman.

Ingredients

Crust:

• 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted

Filling:

• 16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ½ cup sour cream
• 4 ½ cups strawberries, divided (1 ½ cups chopped and 3 cups sliced)
• 1 cup heavy cream

Topping:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Spray 9 x 13 pan with non-stick cooking spray. Mix together crust ingredients and press onto the bottom of the pan. Chill.
2. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and creamy. Fold in sour cream and chopped strawberries. Spread over crust. Freeze for an hour to allow the filling to firm up.
3. Layer sliced strawberries over the filling.
4. Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla and spread over berries. Serve chilled.

Notes

I did not bake the crust, so it was rather crumbly. If you'd like a firmer crust, bake it at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes. Cool before adding toppings.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 135mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g

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