This no-bake Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake is so dreamy and nostalgic! The strawberry shortcake crust is made from golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries and the vanilla cheesecake filling is tangy and so light! The best part is, it requires no baking and can be made ahead!

A slice of Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake

This delicious no-bake shortcake cheesecake reminds me of eating a Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake ice cream bar. Remember eating those as a kid? They were the best! The strawberry cookie crust paired with the tangy cream cheese filling is a winning combination. It’s SO good!

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Ingredients

Golden Oreos. We'll be using whole Golden Oreos (with filling) for the crust.
Freeze-Dried Strawberries. I find mine at Trader Joe’s, but you can find them at Whole Foods and Amazon.
Butter. Unsalted melted butter helps bind the no-bake crust.
Heavy Cream. Whipped to stiff peaks. Gives the cheesecake structure and it’s mouselike texture.
Cream Cheese. Use a full-fat blocks of cream cheese, not whipped cream cheese. Philadelphia brand is the best to use.
Confectioners' Sugar. Helps to thicken and sweeten the filling.
Vanilla. For the best results, use vanilla bean paste.

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Instructions

Step 1 – Make the crust – In the bowl of your food processor fitted with an ‘S’ blade, pulse freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder. Then add the golden oreo cookies with the filling and pulse everything into fine crumbs. Next, add melted butter and pulse until well combined. Crumbs should resemble wet sand and when you squeeze the crumbs, it should hold together.

Step 2 – Reserve 2 tablespoons of the cookie crumbs and store in the fridge for garnish later. Transfer the remaining cookie crumbs to a 6-inch (15 cm) springform pan and firmly press into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. For best results use a drinking glass with straight sides. Place in the fridge while we work on the filling.

Don't have a 6-inch springform pan?

No worries, you can use an 8x4 inch (20x10 cm) loaf pan. Prep the loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper. This will make it really easy to lift out of the pan. Make the following adjustments for the crust. No changes needed for the filling.

12 Golden Oreos (141g)
3 Tbsp (42g) Unsalted Butter, melted
⅔ Cup (12g) Freeze-Dried Strawberries

Step 3 – Make the Vanilla Cheesecake Filling – Add heavy cream to a medium bowl. With a hand-held mixer, whisk the cream on medium speed until you get stiff peaks. Do not over whip it! Set aside.

Step 4 – In a large bowl, whisk room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Use the same beaters as there is no need to clean them. Add sifted confectioners’ sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.

Step 5 – With a rubber spatula, gently fold your whipped cream into your cream cheese mixture just until combined. Do not overmix as this can deflate your whipped cream.

Step 6 – Remove the crust from the fridge and transfer the cheesecake filling into the crust. Use an offset spatula to help spread the filling. Cover with cling wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 6 hrs. Can be made 1 to 2 days in advance, making it the perfect make-ahead dessert.

Step 7. Right before serving you can decorate the cheesecake by piping whipped cream on top and garnishing with reserve crumbs. Carefully remove from springform pan. Dig in and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Use cream cheese blocks, not cream cheese spread. Philadelphia brand cream cheese is highly recommended because it yields the creamiest texture.

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature as well. This will ensure a smooth and lump free filling.

Before whipping the cream, I like to freeze the bowl and beaters for 10 minutes. Keeping everything cold helps the fat in the cream to stabilize. Additionally, it’s important to whip your heavy cream to stiff peaks as it adds structure to this no-bake cheesecake.

Use all the butter that the recipe calls for in the crust. Six tablespoons may seem like a lot, but the high amount of butter is needed to help the crust set as it does not require any baking.

Use a springform pan for easy removal.

Chill for at least 6 hours before serving. The longer the better as it will help the cheesecake set more firmly.

📖 Recipe