Published . Last updated by Judy Purcell 30 Comments
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Juicy, ripe strawberries dressed in cheesecake, graham cracker andchocolatecreate a memorable party dessert.
Cheesecake Strawberries with Chocolate Accentsare my go-to treat for Valentine’s Day and are always a hit for baby or bridal showers.
You can dress them up as Santa for Christmas too!
Here we use both white and dark Ghirardelli chocolate to accent these luscious gems—the dot of chocolate createsa tasty platform to hold them upright.
Go ahead and make the cheesecake filling in advance and refrigerate to save a step when you’re ready to assemble.
Once the strawberries are prepped and the chocolate is melted, the assembly goes quickly. Of course, it may take one or two to get the hang of it … you’ll just have to eat any“ugly” ones yourself (that’s part secret, part confession). 😉
⇓ Scroll down to the end of the post to see how we dress them up as Santa for Christmas party desserts too!
Make a romantic date night dessert just for two!
Follow these adjusted measurements based on the recipe below:
6 strawberries, stem and core removed, bottom trimmed flat, dry
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, minced fine
1 1/2ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 teaspoonslight honey, or powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 teaspoons crushed graham cracker or cookies of choice, optional
2 tablespoons each of white and/or darkchocolate(3-4 tablespoons total), chopped or in chips, melted
Note:The melted chocolate helps support the strawberries, but they will stand up without the chocolate so long as the bottom is trimmed flat.
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Cheesecake Strawberries with Chocolate Accents
Juicy, ripe strawberries dressed in cheesecake, graham cracker and chocolate create a memorable party dessert.
Prep Time30 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 30 Stuffed Berries
Author: Judy Purcell
Ingredients
- 2 pounds strawberries , stem and core removed, bottom trimmed flat
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 8 ounces softened cream cheese
- 3 tablespoons light honey , or powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 squares *graham crackers or Milano cookies , crushed fine (optional)
- 1 cup white or dark chocolate , chopped and melted
- *for gluten-free , use gluten-free graham crackers or cookies
US Customary - Metric
Instructions
Combine cream cheese, honey (or powdered sugar), lemon zest, and vanilla with a mixer until creamed and fluffy. Transfer the cream cheese mix to a piping bag or large Ziploc bag. Using a pair of sharp scissors, trim a small part of the corner off the bottom of the ziploc bag.
Place a trimmed strawberry on top of a chocolate and dot and cool at room temperature until the chocolate hardens. (This chocolate base adds stability to the strawberries, especially in transport.)
Press the cheesecake filling toward the bottom corner of the bag that was trimmed and squeeze the filling through the hole to fill the berries.
NOTE: If making Santas, pipe in a little more of the filling to create space for the eyes and place the cut end of the strawberry to set on top of the filling to form a hat. Use a small spoon to add the beard or additional filling to create a ball on the hat. Wooden toothpicks are handy for adding fine details of filling or chocolate.
Sprinkle with crushed graham crackers. Drizzle with chocolate to finish the strawberries. Allow chocolate to harden or set.
Notes
- Strawberries kept in the refrigerator will sweat in a warm room. Remove from refrigeration well in advance to allow time for the berries to come to room temperature and dry well before dipping in chocolate or filling so the moisture doesn't prevent the chocolate from sticking.
- To use a Ziploc bag for piping: Spoon filling into bag and press toward a bottom corner. Snip the corner off the bag with a pair of scissors and squeeze filling through the hole to fill the berries.
Nutrition
Calories: 66kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 34mg | Potassium: 70mg | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 105IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.2mg
Learn how to make this and all recipes even easier!Check out our Monthly Meal Prep System!
Dress them up for Christmas as Cheesecake Strawberry Santa
Trimming the bottom creates the Santa Hat and hulling out a deeper groove in the strawberry creates space for the filling.
Using a toothpick to dot the eyes.
More Party Dessert Recipes:
Cream Cheese Fruit Tart with Almond Crust Recipe [GF]: A Series on Hospitality
Date Fudge Truffles with Sea Salt
Ghirardelli Brownie Cookies
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