Easy Strawberry Parfaits
These pretty Easy Strawberry Parfaits feature a no bake cheesecake cream that’s layered with fresh macerated strawberries and buttered crumbs for texture. They’re a quick and easy dessert that’s sure to please.
Easy Strawberry Parfaits Recipe
Busy days call for quick and easy desserts like these parfaits. When strawberry season is in full swing, this is one more delectable way to use them and there’s no better pairing than strawberries and cream. My Easy Strawberry Layer Cake and Mixed Berry Pavlova are two of my go-to recipes using strawberries.
How to Make Lighter Strawberry Parfaits Recipe
Parfaits for summer desserts are among some of our family’s favorites. If you’d like to lighten these up a bit, checkout the following tips about how to make them with less calories.
- Use reduced fat graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
- Use light butter to moisten the crumb layer.
- Sweeten strawberries with alternative sweetener of choice.
- Neufchatel cream cheese is already a lighter version of cream cheese. If you prefer, you could opt for fat free.
- Use low fat or fat free sweetened condensed milk for the cheesecake layer.
- Use lite, sugar free or fat free whipped topping.
How to Make the Best Easy Strawberry Parfaits Recipe
These parfaits are simple to assemble and you can relax, there’s really no wrong way. A few pointers to keep in mind:
- Ingredients you’ll need to make homemade Strawberry Parfaits: Fresh strawberries, crushed vanilla wafers or graham crackers, melted butter, Neufchatel cheese, sweetened condensed milk, granulated sugar and whipped topping. (i.e. Cool Whip or similar)
- Kitchen tools you’ll need: Parfait glasses or small mason jars, hand mixer, small bowl, medium bowl, measuring cups and spoons, strawberry huller, sharp knife and cutting board.
- Depending on the size of the parfait glasses. mason jars or glasses used, the yield can vary. The parfaits in the images are made in 8 ounce parfait glasses.
- The crumb layer can soften just a bit from the macerated strawberries. If this bothers you, layer them apart from the berries.
- You can make the crumbs, macerated strawberries and cheesecake layer in advance then assemble the parfaits just before serving.
- You can make these same parfaits with fresh raspberries, blackberries or blueberries.
- You can add alternate flavoring to the the cheesecake layer such as lemon or almond in addition to, or in place of, vanilla.
- Store assembled Strawberry Parfaits chilled in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Strawberry Desserts to Make
I’m extremely grateful we can get our hands on fresh strawberries year-round. Due to this, they’re often on our dessert menu. Other strawberry recipes you may also like to try:
- Strawberry Shortcake Brownie Cupcakes start with a brownie mix.
- Strawberry Lime Margaritas can be made family friendly, too.
- This Strawberry Cheesecake Trifle is a special dessert for a special occasion.
- Scratch made Strawberry Pound Cake is drizzled with a vanilla cream glaze.
- Strawberry Shortcake are a classic.
- Strawberry Sauce from Will Cook for Smiles.
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Easy Strawberry Parfaits
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 quarts strawberries hulled and cubed (Reserve 6 whole berries for garnishing)
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 cups vanilla wafer or graham cracker crumbs
- 4 Tbsp unsalted butter melted
- 12 oz Neufchatel cream cheese
- 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (regular or low fat)
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 8 oz frozen whipped topping, thawed i.e. Cool Whip divided
Instructions
- In a mediums size bowl, toss cubed strawberries with 2 Tbsp sugar. Stir and set aside for 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, toss together vanilla wafer crumbs with melted butter until evenly moistened. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer whip together cream cheese, condensed milk, 1/2 whipped topping and vanilla until smooth.
- To assemble parfaits: Start with 2 heaping Tbsp cheesecake cream topped with 2 heaping Tbsp buttered crumbs and 2 heaping Tbsp strawberries. Repeat layers ending with cheesecake cream. (Reserve a small amount of crumbs to garnish the top, if desired)
- To garnish: Top each parfait with a few crumbs, and divide the remaining whipped topping evenly among the parfaits. Decorate with one whole berry.
- Chill for 2 hours then serve.
Notes
- Use reduced fat graham crackers or vanilla wafers
- Use light butter for the crumbs
- Use low fat or fat free sweetened condensed milk for the cheesecake layerÂ
- Sweeten strawberries with alternative sweetener of choice
- Use lite, sugar free or fat free whipped topping
This looks beautiful and absolutely delicious!
Thanks so much!
Melissa, Thanks for getting back to me so quick!! Am making this for my grandkids this week
and just wanted to be sure, I know it will be awesome.
It’s my pleasure, I hope they love these!
I see where it calls for 2 tsp vanilla divided, but only 1 used in the recipe with cream cheese mixture. Am I missing it somewhere? Thanks
Hi Linda, sorry that wasn’t clear, there’s no need to divide it use it all in the Cheesecake mixture.
Melissa, is the butter just softened or melted to blend with crumbs? I might use powdered sugar (a little less) to sweeten the berries.
Thanks, I would love to try these.
Martha
Hi Martha, the butter should be melted just like you’re making a graham cracker crust. We love these, I hope you do too!
Sounds delicious! I plan to make these soon for guests coming to dinner. What a treat with our fresh strawberries!
I hope you all enjoy, thanks!
This recipe looks awesome. I’m on your email list and I like a lot of your recipes. Is there anyway that you can use just a pinch icon to share recipes. I have 3 folders of recipes. One on my email, Facebook and just a pinch which is easier to sort and find right away. Just a suggestion but would be so much easier than going through saved emails.
Thank you
Hi Sheryl, thanks so much for visiting! We have a Pinterest button, no plans to add a pinch button. I hope this helps!