Layered Strawberry Shortcake Dessert

A no-bake dessert that is best prepared in advance and refrigerated overnight, this delicious Layered Strawberry Shortcake Dessert uses homemade strawberry shortcake crumbs, chocolate chip cookies, and a cream cheese-based cream topping. Serve with fresh strawberries!

The first time I ever had one of these types of desserts, my childhood friend, Deana, made it one Saturday afternoon. I watched as she dipped store-bought chocolate chip cookies into a bowl of milk and laid them into a baking dish. She would spoon over the filling and smooth it out before starting on another layer of those cookies. I prepared that same recipe many times over the 30 years that followed. But adding homemade strawberry shortcake crumbs to this simple layered dessert to a whole new level!

To be completely honest, I love a layered dessert! I love the look of it; seeing all of the components stacked separately to create the most delicious dessert. And, I’ve done it many times before showcasing the versatility of homemade strawberry shortcake crumbs. Just last week, I shared my No Bake Strawberry Shortcake Cheesecake recipe. And last summer, I showed off my Strawberry Shortcake Tiramisu!

In 2022, leading up to Valentine’s Day, I shared a whole lot of strawberry shortcake recipes, but in terms of stacked or layered desserts, I cannot forget my Stacked Vanilla Strawberry Shortcakes or my Strawberry Shortcake Waffles! Now, all of these recipes have one thing in common and that is homemade Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs. Before you attempt to prepare any of my shortcake-style recipes, you will need to prepare a batch of these crumbs. So, let’s get into it!

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CRUMBS

Remember those pink and white ice cream bars with the strawberry-flavoured crumb coating? I do! In fact, they were my favourite ice cream bar when I was growing up. Now that I’m older, I don’t care much for ice cream, because it doesn’t seem to agree with me. I’m not lactose intolerant, but ice cream makes me feel bloated and blah, so I stay away from it as much as possible.

Now, in the instance that the ice cream in question is strawberry, I can’t pass it up. Because of the fact that I’m not a fan of ice cream, it is safe to assume that I am not an ice cream connoisseur. So, go easy on me when I tell you that my favourite ice cream is cheap ice cream, and the more artificial the strawberry flavour, the more I love it! I won’t name the brands that I like, but they package their ice cream in boxes. That’s all I’m going to say!

The number of Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars I ate when I was a kid is too high to count. I can’t tell you what the brand was, but the closest I can find are these by Good Humor. (I had to re-type ‘humor’ about five times before I could get my brain to let go of the O that should be in there – humour – it’s the Canadian in me!) Something tells me that in the 80s, the go-to brand was Nestle. Anyway, I digress!

LAYERED DESSERTS ARE THE EASIEST AND THE BEST!

Layered desserts have been popular for many, many years. For those of us who were not blessed with the ability to decorate elaborate cakes or whip up a choux pastry or even master the art of a good meringue, there are layered desserts. Think about it! The popularity of desserts like no-bake cheesecakes, trifles, tiramisus, and Layered Strawberry Shortcake Dessert is proof.

I like to think that a layered dessert can certainly be just as elegant if prepared the right way. Make it simple. Overcomplicated desserts are no fun to prepare or eat. Choose two or three flavour combinations, because too many will just become muddled and the flavours will compete with each other. That’s what I think of trifles. I do like them, but I don’t care for them if they have cake, fruit, jello, pudding, whipped cream, etc. Too many ingredients and too many layers are certainly not the way to go.

If you are looking for more layered desserts, look no further! I’ve got you covered right here. Try these Stacked Vanilla Strawberry Shortcakes, for example. Or a breakfast version using waffles! Speaking of strawberry shortcakes, you have got to try these puff pastry flakies – they are probably my favourite dessert of all time.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE

You might have guessed by now that you need a batch of Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs. Go ahead, and click on the link. It will open and new page so you won’t lose this one. The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.

To Make the Crumbs:

• Vanilla Pudding – Just a plain box of powdered mix is all you need. There’s no need to mix it according to the instructions on the package.
• Strawberry Jello – Again, this is just the powder. You will use the powder as it is – no need to mix it and let it set.
• Flour – Regular all-purpose flour is good.
• Butter – I used salted butter to offset some of the sweetness. Unsalted butter is certainly okay too.
• Golden Oreos – These are vanilla-flavoured Oreos. You’ll use one full package of Golden Oreos.

For the Filling:

• Cream Cheese – When baking with cream cheese it is always best to use brick style rather than whipped or cream cheese in a tub.  The brick style is firmer and more condensed.  Cream cheese adds texture and flavour to baked items.
• Whipping Cream – Please see the next section on whipping cream.
• Confectioner’s Sugar – This superfine sugar is sometimes called powdered sugar. 
• Milk – I always use whole milk in my recipes.
• Strawberries – For topping and garnish.

HOW TO MAKE A LAYERED STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE DESSERT

Before you begin this recipe, make sure that you have prepared the strawberry shortcake crumbs first. They must be fully cooled before you start to assemble. Once the crumbs have been taken care of, it’s time to prepare the filling.
To start, beat the cream cheese, cream, and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks are formed.

Working one chocolate chunk cookie at a time, submerge it quickly into the milk and lay it into a 9×13 baking dish or a 9-inch springform cake pan. Cover the entire bottom of the pan. You do not need to fill in the gaps between the cookies. Spread one-third of the cream cheese mixture over the cookie layer and top that with a half cup of the Strawberry Shortcake Crumbs.

Repeat these layers one or two more times, depending on how large you would like your desserts to be, or how much your serving glasses can accommodate. Cover loosely but fully and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days. Top with strawberries before serving.

HEAVY CREAM VS WHIPPING CREAM

Confession time – I use them both interchangeably, depending on what is available at the store, or whatever is on sale! Both of these can be quite costly. If memory serves me correctly, a 250mL carton, or one cup, here in Canada, will run just short of $5! There is a difference in the two, but not enough to concern yourself with when it comes to Layered Strawberry Shortcake Dessert.

Just in case you’re interested, the most basic difference is the amount of fat contained in both. Whipping cream has 35% fat. It can be whipped into peaks and it’s also rich enough that it won’t curdle when heated in soups and sauces. It’s nearly identical to heavy cream so if a recipe calls for heavy cream and you can only find whipping cream, feel free to use that instead. In contrast, heavy cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream, contains about 38% fat. Either of those would work well in this recipe. I used 35% whipping cream.

STORING

This Layered Strawberry Shortcake Dessert can certainly be made ahead of time. Once assembled, cover it well with plastic wrap and keep it refrigerated. You can prepare it up to 24 hours in advance and any leftovers will keep for another two days.