A fun twist on strawberry shortcake, this recipe features frozen strawberry cheesecake sandwiched between two delicious shortcakes!
If there’s one dessert for me that’s synonymous with summer, it has to be strawberry shortcake. It’s a dish that’s wonderfully nostalgic for me. One bite instantly conjures up memories of family dinners on my grandparents’ farm, where I spent a large portion of every summer as a kid. We’d feast on so much delicious produce grown right in their garden—sugar snap peas, yellow wax beans, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, and sweet corn. (It’s no wonder I turned out to be such a veggie lover!) Dessert was often strawberry shortcake, and we’d end the meal sitting out on the deck watching the fireflies and listening to the crickets sing.
These are the types of core memories that I’m hoping to pass down to my own children. So as soon as the markets start overflowing with juicy summer strawberries, I start making strawberry shortcake on a near-weekly basis. My family loves the classic dish, but sometimes it’s nice to switch things up. This recipe is a refreshing riff on strawberry shortcake, as it adds a frozen cheesecake element. The center of the sandwich is decadently creamy, while the cake portion is delightfully fluffy, and the sweetness of the strawberries comes through in every bite.
If you’re looking for a fresh way to enjoy strawberry shortcake, give these little frozen sandwiches a try. They make the perfect dessert for summer gatherings. You don’t have to dish up anything. Just set them out and watch them disappear!
Are These Frozen Cheesecake Strawberry Shortcake Sandwiches Healthy?
This is a hybrid dessert that merges strawberry cheesecake with strawberry shortcake, both of which are decadent treats. So this is definitely a dish that’s good to enjoy in moderation. That said, this recipe does include reduced-fat cream cheese and light whipped topping to slightly lighten up the cheesecake portion. It also calls for whole-wheat flour for the shortcakes, which has more fiber than all-purpose flour, as well as 2% milk instead of whole milk. If you’d like to make this dish gluten-free, you could use gluten-free flour instead. You could also make it dairy-free by using plant-based substitutes for the cream cheese, whipped cream, butter, and milk.
How Should I Cut The Strawberries?
To make sure you get a burst of strawberry flavor in every bite, you’ll want to dice the strawberries. After washing and drying them, use a sharp knife to slice off the green stem from the tops of the strawberries. Then lay the flat part of the strawberry on your cutting board and make four to five cuts through the length of the strawberry. Rotate your strawberry, and make four to five perpendicular cuts through the length of the strawberry. Et voilà! You have a diced strawberry.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
If these scrumptious sandwiches aren’t gobbled up all at once, you can store any leftovers in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to tightly wrap each sandwich individually in plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn, and store them either in an airtight container or a freezer bag.
Serving Suggestions
While these frozen delights are perfectly delicious on their own, you might enjoy them with a little Strawberry Sauce drizzled on top. To dial up the berry flavor, you could also spread some Strawberry Whipped Cream onto the shortcake halves instead of the whipped topping or add some Roasted Strawberries. I personally love a little coffee with my strawberry shortcake, and I think these frozen sandwiches would pair beautifully with either an Iced Latte or an Iced Matcha Latte.
Ingredients
For the cheesecake:
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 16 ounces light whipped topping thawed; divided
For the shortcakes:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour 80 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons 2% milk
Instructions
To make the cheesecake:
- Line a muffin pan with tinfoil and set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the diced strawberries with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar, and set aside to let them macerate.
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat together the cream cheese and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar until well combined.
- Stir in 4 ounces of the thawed whipped topping until well combined (put the rest back into the refrigerator until ready to assemble the sandwiches).
- Pour the strawberry mixture into the cheesecake mixture and gently fold them together until the strawberries are evenly dispersed.
- Spoon the cheesecake mixture into the prepared muffin pan, filling each hole about halfway full.
- Cover with tinfoil and place into the freezer until frozen, at least 4 hours to overnight.
To make the shortcakes:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, and beat again until well combined.
- In a small bowl, stir together the salt, flour, and baking powder. Then add it little by little into the creamed butter mixture, alternating with adding the milk, until the batter is well mixed.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin pan, filling 8 holes only 1/4 of the way full. (Note: Make sure to add water into the empty muffin holes.)
- Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, about 13-15 minutes.
- Let cool completely before assembling.
To assemble:
- Carefully slice each shortcake in half, and spread a little bit of thawed whipped topping on the bottom half. Place one frozen cheesecake on top, and spread a little more whipped topping on top of it.
- Top with the top portion of the shortcake.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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