Recipe Box, Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Parfaits

the Painted Apron

7 years ago

This is an overspill from the July Paint Bucket, and a berry dessert you will want to try while summer is still full of fresh berries

It is a strawberry version of the Key Lime Cheesecake Jars, but uses a homemade Strawberry filling layer instead of lime curd

Making the fresh strawberry sauce is just a matter of simmering berries in sugar, then thickening the sauce with cornstarch

If you stir in a teaspoon of commercial jam at the end, the preservatives from the jam will keep your sauce stable for up to a week or more*

Make the sauce in advance and refrigerate at least several hours or up to 1-2 weeks

Start the parfaits by crumbling cookies in the bottom of the jar or glass

I recommend Chessman Shortbread Cookies by Pepperidge Farm. They have a great flavor and are sturdy enough to hold up with the moist toppings

Next add about 1/4 cup cheesecake filling** and press down with back of spoon

Top with a layer of Strawberry Sauce*

Then finish filling up with Cool Whip

I did not go slowly and make them picture perfect, no time for that today!

They all get mixed up with the first dig down to the bottom anyway!

You can use any type of jar, beverage glass, or parfait dish. I used small, 8oz. jars for easy storage and serving

This strawberry sauce is fabulous for topping ice cream, pancakes, french toast, biscuits, cheesecake, pound cake, shortcake, anything!

*Strawberry Sauce recipe adapted from Tikkido here

Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake Parfaits

These delicious strawberry parfaits are made in individual jars for easy storage, serving and eating!

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword dessert in a jar, strawberries, strawberry cheesecake, strawberry parfaits, strawberry shortcake

Servings 8

2 cups fresh strawberry sauce*
1 tub Philadelphia Cheesecake Filling**
1 tub 8 oz. Cool Whip Dessert Topping, thawed {use real whipped cream only if serving right away, it won’t hold up for storing}
sturdy shortbread or sugar cookies, like Pepperidge Farm Chessmen use 2-3 per jar

Place 1/3 of berries into a saucepan with sugar and cook over medium low heat, stirring often, until sugar melts into berries.
Add another 1/3 of berries and cook for 5 more minutes.
Now add the remaining berries, salt and cornstarch. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Stir in jam. The preservatives in the commercial jam will keep your homemade mixture stable for a week or so without altering the flavor. Refrigerate. Makes about 2 cups.

Crumble 2-3 cookies in the bottom of a 8 oz glass or jar.
Add about 1/4 cup, or 2 heaping Tablespoons of cheesecake filling and spread into an even layer with back of spoon.
Spoon 2 heaping Tablespoons of strawberry sauce on top of cheesecake layer.
Fill to top with Cool Whip.
Cover and refrigerate until serving. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired. Makes 8-10 jars.