Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

They make the perfect dinner party dessert because you can prepare them in advance. This is such a fun dessert! I love making it, I love serving it to admiring guests, and above all, I enjoy eating it. The combination of the sweet strawberries and the delicate cheesecake-like filling is truly fabulous. This is also the perfect after-dinner dessert when you host a dinner party, because - much like chocolate-covered strawberries - you can make it a few hours in advance.

Ingredients

You’ll only need four ingredients to make these cheesecake-stuffed strawberries. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here’s an overview of what you’ll need: Fresh strawberries: Pick large, firm strawberries. And try to find truly red ones - I can’t stand the ones that are pale and watery! 🍓 Cream cheese: You can use either regular or reduced-fat cream cheese. Both work equally well in this recipe. Sweetener: I use stevia, but you can use your favorite sweetener instead - see the discussion below. Vanilla extract: Try to use the real thing - pure vanilla extract - and not the artificially flavored stuff. The difference in flavor is especially pronounced in uncooked recipes.

Instructions

Considering how fancy they look, making these cheesecake-stuffed strawberries is surprisingly easy! Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this dessert: You start by cutting off the tops of the strawberries and coring them, as shown in the video below. Your next step is to soften the cream cheese in the microwave, then stir the sweetener and vanilla into the softened cream cheese until the mixture is smooth and uniform. Now, simply spoon the mixture into the strawberries. For a pretty presentation, you can transfer the cream cheese mixture to a pastry bag and pipe a small amount into each strawberry. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. If you make them ahead of time, do remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving them.

Expert tip

I use stevia, but you can use any other sweetener in this recipe. If opting for a granulated sweetener, it’s best to use a powdered one to ensure that the cream cheese mixture remains smooth and velvety. Honey (or a sugar-free honey substitute) is another good option.

Frequently asked questions

Variations

I love this recipe as is and almost always make it as written. But in case you’d like to vary the basic recipe, here are a few ideas for you:

If you like coconut, use coconut extract instead of vanilla extract.Scatter chopped unsalted nuts on top of the filled strawberries.Melt some dark chocolate and drizzle it on top of the strawberries.

Serving suggestions

I like to make a dessert tray with a few make-ahead treats, then serve it to my guests with some coffee and tea. So in addition to these strawberries, a typical dessert tray might include cookie dough balls and peanut butter fudge squares.

Storing leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, but for no longer than a day or two. Keep in mind that after the first day, they won’t be as good.

👩🏻‍🍳 I typically publish a new or an updated recipe once a week. Want these recipes in your inbox? Subscribe! You can unsubscribe at any time.