Delicious Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Salad

Finding the perfect dessert for summer potlucks and family gatherings can feel like a real puzzle. Between juggling different tastes, dealing with hot weather, and trying to make something that won’t melt during the drive over, it’s enough to make anyone stress about what to bring.

That’s where this strawberry cheesecake jello salad comes to the rescue: it’s cool and refreshing, super easy to put together ahead of time, and always gets eaten up fast – even by the pickiest eaters at the party.

What Kind of Cream Cheese Should I Use?

Regular full-fat block cream cheese is your best bet for this jello salad – it creates the creamiest texture and holds up well when mixed with the other ingredients. While you might be tempted to use low-fat cream cheese to cut calories, it can make your dessert a bit watery and won’t give you that rich, classic cheesecake taste. Make sure your cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before you start mixing – this usually takes about an hour on the counter and will help prevent any lumps in your final dish. If you’re in a hurry, you can unwrap the cream cheese, cut it into cubes, and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to speed up the softening process.

Options for Substitutions

This retro dessert can be customized with several easy swaps if you need them:

• Strawberry gelatin: You can switch up the flavor by using raspberry, cherry, or mixed berry gelatin. The recipe steps stay exactly the same!
• Frozen strawberries: Fresh strawberries work too – just add 3 tablespoons of sugar and let them sit for 30 minutes to create juice. You can also use other berries like raspberries or a mixed berry blend.
• Cream cheese: For a lighter version, use Neufchatel cheese (⅓ less fat cream cheese). Just make sure it’s at room temperature before mixing.
• Whipped topping: You can make your own by whipping 2 cups of heavy cream with ¼ cup powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
• Graham crackers: Feel free to use vanilla wafers, digestive biscuits, or even golden Oreos (remove the filling first). Crush them the same way you would graham crackers.
• Butter: Margarine works in the crust too, or try coconut oil for a slightly different flavor (use the same amount).

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Making

The biggest challenge when making strawberry cheesecake jello salad is getting the temperature of your ingredients just right – using cream cheese that’s too cold will result in lumps, while adding whipped topping to hot jello mixture will cause it to melt and lose its structure.

A common mistake is rushing the setting process – this dessert needs adequate time to chill and set properly in the refrigerator (at least 4 hours, preferably overnight), or you’ll end up with a runny consistency instead of those perfect, clean-cut squares.

When preparing the graham cracker crust, avoid pressing it too firmly into the pan, as this can make it too dense and difficult to cut through – instead, use gentle pressure with the back of a measuring cup for an even, slightly loose layer that holds together but remains tender.

For the smoothest cream cheese mixture, let your cream cheese come to room temperature for at least an hour before mixing, and beat it until completely smooth before combining it with other ingredients.

What to Serve With Strawberry Cheesecake Jello Salad?

This sweet and creamy jello salad works really well as part of a bigger dessert spread or at potlucks and holiday gatherings. Since it’s already pretty rich and sweet, I like to serve it alongside something simple like fresh fruit – think fresh berries, sliced peaches, or even some tart green apple slices. If you’re serving this at a party, it pairs nicely with other classic crowd-pleasers like chocolate chip cookies or brownies. For a fun brunch setup, try serving it with some hot coffee or tea to balance out the sweetness – the warm drinks make a nice contrast to the cool, creamy texture of the jello salad.

Storage Instructions

Chill: This jello salad needs to be kept cold! Pop it in the fridge in a covered container, and it’ll stay fresh for up to 3-4 days. The graham cracker crust might get a bit soft over time, but the flavor will still be great.

Make Ahead: You can prepare this dessert a day before your event – it actually works better that way since it needs time to set properly. Just keep it covered in the fridge overnight, and it’ll be perfectly ready to serve the next day.

Not Suitable for Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing this jello salad because the texture of both the jello and whipped topping will change when thawed. It’s best enjoyed fresh from the fridge within the first few days of making it.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	0-5 minutes
Total Time	240-265 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3500-3900
• Protein: 20-25 g
• Fat: 200-220 g
• Carbohydrates: 440-480 g

Ingredients

• 6 oz packet of strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups hot water
• 23 oz container of frozen strawberries with sugar, thawed
• 8 oz block of cream cheese
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 12 oz whipped topping
• 2 packs graham crackers
• ½ cup butter
• ⅓ cup white sugar

Step 1: Prepare the Graham Cracker Crust

Begin by finely crushing the graham crackers.

You can do this using a food processor, rolling pin, or by placing the crackers in a Ziploc bag and crushing them with your hands.

Melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl.

Combine the crushed graham crackers and ⅓ cup of sugar with the melted butter.

Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9×13 pan to form the crust.

Place the pan in the refrigerator to let the crust cool and set for about 10 minutes.

Step 2: Make the Cream Cheese Layer

In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar and cream cheese.

Use a hand mixer to blend them together until the mixture is smooth and well blended.

Gently fold in the cool whip until it’s fully combined with the cream cheese mixture.

Carefully spread this cream cheese mixture over the cooled graham cracker crust, ensuring even coverage.

Step 3: Prepare the Strawberry Jello Topping

Boil two cups of water.

In another medium-sized bowl, combine the strawberry jello mix with the hot water, stirring until the jello powder is completely dissolved.

Add the thawed frozen strawberries to the jello mixture, gently stirring them in.

Step 4: Assemble and Chill the Dessert

Pour the strawberry jello mixture over the cream cheese layer in the pan, ensuring it spreads evenly across the top.

Place the entire dish in the refrigerator to chill for at least 4 hours.

This gives the jello layer time to set properly.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Once the jello layer has set, remove the dish from the refrigerator.

Cut into squares and serve.

Enjoy this cool, fruity, and creamy treat with friends and family!