No Bake Strawberry Shortcake (Printer-Friendly)
Luscious layered dessert with shortbread, cream filling, and fresh strawberries—no oven needed.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Strawberries
01 - 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
→ Cream Layer
03 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
→ Base & Assembly
07 - about 30 shortbread cookies or vanilla wafer cookies
08 - extra strawberries for garnish (optional)
# How To Make It:
01 - Toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar in a bowl. Let sit for 10–15 minutes until they release their juices.
02 - Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
03 - In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
04 - Line the bottom of a 9 x 9 inch square dish with half of the cookies.
05 - Spread half the cream mixture over the cookies, then top with half of the macerated strawberries including their juices.
06 - Repeat layers with remaining cookies, cream mixture, and strawberries.
07 - Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight, to allow flavors to meld and cookies to soften.
08 - Garnish with extra strawberries before serving if desired. Slice and serve chilled.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- Theres something genuinely magical about how those crisp cookies transform into cake like layers while they chill, absorbing all those sweet strawberry juices without you having to do any actual baking
- The cream cheese and whipped cream combination creates this impossibly rich filling that still feels light enough to eat seconds, and the whole thing comes together in about 25 minutes of active work
02 -
- That chilling time is not optional because the cookies need time to soften and absorb all those strawberry juices, and if you rush this step you'll basically be eating cookies with toppings instead of the cohesive dessert it's meant to be
- I learned the hard way that warm cream cheese creates tiny lumps that never fully disappear, so take it out of the fridge at least two hours before you plan to start making this
03 -
- Line your dish with parchment paper overhanging the edges before you start layering, and you'll be able to lift the whole thing out later for cleaner slices
- If your strawberries aren't very sweet, add an extra tablespoon of sugar during maceration or drizzle with a bit of honey before assembling