Strawberry Heaven

Strawberry Heaven is a stunning no bake layered dessert featuring a vanilla cookie crust, sweet cream cheese layer, homemade fresh strawberry filling, and whipped topping. With its beautiful presentation and irresistible combination of creamy and fruity flavors, it’s a dessert that looks bakery made but comes together easily at home. Simply layer, chill, and enjoy!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• No baking required – Just layer, chill, and serve! Perfect for hot days when you don’t want to turn on the oven.
• Gorgeous presentation – Those beautiful pink strawberry layers look like they came from a bakery, but they’re so easy to make at home.
• Crowd-pleaser guaranteed – Sweet, creamy, and fruity all at once, this dessert appeals to everyone from kids to grandparents.
• Make-ahead friendly – Actually tastes better the next day, so you can prep it ahead and relax when guests arrive.
• Fresh strawberry flavor – We’re making our own strawberry topping with real fruit, not the artificial stuff from a can.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Crust & Base

• 1 box (about 15 ounces) vanilla sandwich cookies, finely crushed – Golden Oreos or any vanilla cream sandwich cookie works beautifully
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted – This binds the crust together

Cream Cheese Layer

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened – Let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes so it blends smoothly
• 1 cup powdered sugar – Creates that sweet, fluffy texture
• 1 tub (about 8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed – Cool Whip or similar brand

Strawberry Layer

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch – This thickens the strawberry mixture into a beautiful glaze
• 2 cups water
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, sliced – About 2 pounds; choose ripe, sweet berries
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice – Brightens the strawberry flavor

Whipped Topping Finish

• 1 tub (about 8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed
• Optional: extra sliced strawberries for garnish – Makes it extra pretty!

Why These Ingredients Work

The vanilla sandwich cookies create a sturdy, slightly sweet foundation that holds up beautifully even after chilling overnight. When you crush them and mix them with melted butter, they form a crust that’s reminiscent of a cheesecake base but with a fun cookies-and-cream twist.

The cream cheese layer is where the magic happens. Softened cream cheese blended with powdered sugar becomes incredibly smooth and sweet. When you fold in that first container of whipped topping, it transforms into the fluffiest cloud you’ve ever tasted. It’s rich but not heavy, sweet but not cloying.

The homemade strawberry layer is what really sets this apart from other icebox desserts. By cooking fresh strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, and water, you create a glossy, jammy filling that tastes like summer itself. The cornstarch thickens everything just enough so it holds its shape when you cut into squares, but it’s still soft and spoonable.

That little bit of lemon juice? It’s the secret ingredient that makes the strawberries taste even more like strawberries. It brightens everything up and keeps the sweetness balanced.

The final layer of whipped topping seals everything in and gives you that classic “heaven” look with all those beautiful layers showing through the sides of your glass dish.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 9×13-inch baking dish – Glass or ceramic works great so you can see those pretty layers
• Medium mixing bowl – For the crust mixture
• Large mixing bowl – For the cream cheese layer
• Electric hand mixer or stand mixer – Makes the cream cheese layer silky smooth
• Medium saucepan – For cooking the strawberry filling
• Whisk – Essential for preventing lumps in the strawberry mixture
• Rubber spatula – For folding and spreading layers evenly
• Food processor or rolling pin and zip-top bag – To crush those cookies finely

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the Crust

In a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and melted butter until the mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when you squeeze it.

Press this mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your 9×13-inch baking dish—really use your hands or the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it down. This step is important because a well-pressed crust won’t crumble when you cut your squares later.

Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Layer

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together with your mixer on medium speed until it’s completely smooth and creamy with no lumps—this should take about 2 minutes.

Gently fold in the first tub of whipped topping using a rubber spatula, being careful not to deflate all that beautiful airiness.

Spread this dreamy mixture evenly over your cookie crust, making sure to get it into all the corners.

Step 3: Make the Strawberry Filling

In a medium saucepan, whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch until they’re completely blended—this prevents any cornstarch lumps later.

Gradually stir in the water, whisking constantly until the mixture is smooth. Place the pan over medium heat and cook, stirring constantly with your whisk, until the mixture thickens noticeably and comes to a gentle boil. You’ll see it go from milky and thin to glossy and thick.

Add your fresh sliced strawberries and lemon juice, then continue cooking for just 2-3 minutes more until the strawberries begin to soften and release their juices.

Remove from heat and let this cool for about 15-20 minutes.

Step 4: Assemble the Layers

Carefully spoon the slightly cooled strawberry filling over the cream cheese layer, spreading it gently and evenly with your spatula.

Take your time here—if the filling is too hot, it can melt the cream cheese layer underneath, but if you’ve let it cool for those 15-20 minutes, you’re golden.

Step 5: Finish with Whipped Topping

Spread the remaining tub of whipped topping evenly over the strawberry layer, creating soft peaks and swirls if you like. This is your finishing touch, so make it pretty!

Step 6: Chill

Cover your dish loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, though overnight is even better.

You Must Know

The single most important thing about this recipe is patience. I know it’s tempting to dig in right away, but you must let this dessert chill for the full 4 hours minimum. If you cut into it too early, the layers will be soft and won’t hold their shape, and you’ll end up with a delicious mess instead of those gorgeous, clean-cut squares that make everyone ooh and ahh.

Also, make absolutely sure your cream cheese is fully softened before you start mixing. Cold cream cheese will create lumps no matter how much you beat it, and nobody wants that in their fluffy layer.

Personal Secret: Here’s my little trick for the prettiest slices every single time—before you cut, dip your knife in hot water, wipe it clean, and then make your cut. Do this between every single slice.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Cookie crushing shortcut: If you don’t have a food processor, just put the cookies in a gallon zip-top bag and crush them with a rolling pin or even a can of soup. It’s actually kind of therapeutic!
• Test your strawberry layer: When your cornstarch mixture is ready, it should coat the back of a spoon. Draw your finger through it—if it leaves a clear trail, it’s thick enough.
• Prevent weeping: Make sure both containers of whipped topping are completely thawed but still cold. If they’re too warm, they can separate and get watery.
• Use parchment slings: Line your pan with parchment paper strips going both directions before adding the crust. This lets you lift the whole dessert out for even prettier presentation and easier cutting.
• Don’t skip the lemon: Even if you think you don’t need it, that teaspoon of lemon juice makes the strawberries sing. Trust me on this one.
• Room for error: If your strawberry layer seems too thin after cooking, let it cool completely—it will thicken more as it cools. If it’s too thick, whisk in a tablespoon or two of water while it’s still warm.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

This recipe is wonderfully flexible once you get the hang of it. For a mixed berry version, swap out half the strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries—you’ll get a deeper, more complex flavor and gorgeous color.

If you want to make it extra special for a celebration, add a tablespoon of vanilla extract to the cream cheese layer and fold in some mini chocolate chips. The chocolate-strawberry combination is always a winner.

Feeling tropical? Use graham cracker crumbs instead of vanilla cookies for the crust, add a teaspoon of coconut extract to the cream cheese layer, and mix in some diced pineapple with your strawberries.

For a more grown-up version, add a tablespoon of amaretto or Grand Marnier to the strawberry mixture while it’s still warm—the alcohol will cook off but leave behind wonderful flavor notes.

You can also turn this into individual servings by layering everything in clear glass jars or small trifle dishes. They’re perfect for picnics or when you want portion control built right in.

And if you’re not a strawberry person (though I can’t imagine why!), this same method works beautifully with peaches, cherries, or even a lemon curd layer.

Make-Ahead Options

This is one of those glorious desserts that actually improves with time, which makes it perfect for busy cooks and party planners. You can make the entire dessert up to 2 days ahead—in fact, I almost prefer it on day two when all the flavors have had time to really get to know each other. Just keep it covered tightly with plastic wrap in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve.

If you want to break up the work even more, you can press the crust into your pan and make the cream cheese layer up to 3 days ahead. Just cover each layer tightly and keep refrigerated. Then make your strawberry topping the day before you plan to serve, and do the final assembly with the whipped topping layer on the day of your event.

For longer storage, this dessert can be frozen for up to 1 month, though I’ll be honest—the texture of the whipped topping changes slightly after freezing. If you’re going to freeze it, I recommend doing so before adding that final whipped topping layer. Then thaw it overnight in the fridge and add fresh whipped topping just before serving. Cut it into squares before freezing if you want to be able to grab individual portions.

What to Serve With Strawberry Heaven

This dessert is rich and sweet, so I love serving it with something light and refreshing alongside. A big pitcher of iced tea—especially peach or raspberry tea—is just perfect. Fresh lemonade is another winner, or if you’re feeling fancy, a crisp Prosecco or Moscato d’Asti for the adults makes this feel like a real celebration.

If you’re serving this as part of a larger spread, keep the rest of your menu simple and lighter. It’s wonderful after a summer barbecue with grilled chicken or ribs. I also love bringing this to potlucks alongside pasta salad and pulled pork sandwiches. For a ladies’ luncheon, serve small squares with chicken salad croissants and a fresh fruit platter.

Don’t feel like you need another dessert when you’re serving this—it’s definitely the star of the show. But if you’re one of those people who likes variety, keep it simple with some butter cookies or biscotti on the side for those who might want just a little something extra with their coffee.

Allergy Information

This recipe contains several common allergens, so let’s talk about substitutions. The most obvious is dairy—there’s cream cheese, butter, and whipped topping throughout. For a dairy-free version, use dairy-free cream cheese (Kite Hill or Tofutti work well), coconut oil in place of butter, and coconut whipped cream instead of the regular whipped topping. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

For gluten-free needs, simply use gluten-free vanilla sandwich cookies for the crust—several brands make them now, and they work exactly the same way. The rest of the recipe is naturally gluten-free.

There are no eggs in this recipe, which makes it automatically egg-free and great for those with egg allergies.

If you’re watching refined sugar, you can use a sugar substitute in both the cream cheese layer and the strawberry filling, though I’d recommend one that measures cup-for-cup like Swerve or Lakanto. The texture might be slightly less smooth, but it still tastes wonderful. Just be aware that sugar substitutes don’t thicken quite the same way, so you might need an extra teaspoon of cornstarch in your strawberry layer.

Storage & Reheating

Store your Strawberry Heaven covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 4 days—though honestly, in my house, it never lasts that long! The layers will stay beautifully set, and the flavors actually deepen over time.

If you’re storing leftovers, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of any cut edges to prevent them from drying out.

This dessert is meant to be served cold, straight from the fridge, so there’s no reheating involved. In fact, please don’t try to warm it up—the whipped topping and cream cheese layers would turn into a puddle!

If you’ve frozen it, thaw individual pieces in the refrigerator overnight, never at room temperature or in the microwave.

One little tip: if your whipped topping starts to look a tiny bit weepy after a day or two (this sometimes happens with certain brands), just blot it gently with a paper towel before serving. The dessert underneath is still perfect—it’s just condensation from the fridge.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip?

You absolutely can, and it’s delicious! Just make sure you stabilize it with a tablespoon of powdered sugar and a teaspoon of unflavored gelatin bloomed in cold water, or it might weep and deflate overnight. The store-bought stuff is more stable for this particular recipe, but homemade tastes amazing if you don’t mind the extra step.

My strawberry layer is too runny—what went wrong?

This usually happens when you didn’t cook the mixture long enough, or the cornstarch didn’t fully activate. Make sure you bring it to a full boil while stirring constantly—you should see big, gloppy bubbles. Also, remember that it thickens more as it cools, so don’t panic if it seems thin in the pan. Give it time to cool and it should firm up beautifully.

Can I use frozen strawberries instead of fresh?

You can, but you’ll need to thaw them completely first and drain off most of the excess liquid—frozen berries release a lot of water. Also, reduce the water in the recipe to 1½ cups instead of 2 cups since the berries will add extra moisture. Fresh is definitely best for texture and flavor, but frozen works in a pinch, especially in winter.

How do I prevent the layers from mixing together?

The key is making sure each layer is properly set before adding the next one. The cookie crust should be pressed firmly and chilled. The cream cheese layer should be spread gently and evenly. The strawberry layer must be cooled to warm (not hot) before spreading—this is crucial! And the final whipped topping should be dolloped on gently and spread with a light touch.

Can I make this in a different size pan?

Sure! An 8×8-inch pan will give you thicker layers and fewer servings (about 9), while a larger pan will make thinner layers. Just keep in mind that a deeper dessert will need extra chilling time to set properly—I’d give it 6 hours or overnight if you use a smaller, deeper dish.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d absolutely love to hear how your Strawberry Heaven turned out, and if you put your own special twist on it.