What Can I Do With Strawberries and Cream Cheese

Strawberries stuffed with lemon cream cheese filling and topped with blueberries.

Strawberries with cream cheese filling is an easy low carb no bake dessert with creamy lemon cheesecake stuffed in juicy sweet strawberries. Perfect for a 4^th of July holiday, a romantic evening or any time you want a cool treat. Just like our patriotic Skinny Berry Cheesecake Bars, this dessert is a huge crowd pleaser.

When you take your first bite, you are going to enjoy the sweet sun kissed strawberries, then lemony guiltfree cheesecake filling and a pop of fresh blueberries. Do you know what the best part is? This guilt free dessert has only 3 net Carbs and 54 Calories per serving. Simply delicious!

Strawberries with Cream Cheese Filling
Benefits of Making Stuffed Strawberries
Ingredients
How to Prep the Strawberries
Lemony Cheesecake Filling
Stuffing the Strawberries
Red, White and Blue Desserts
Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)
More Delicious Dessert Recipes

Strawberries with Cream Cheese Filling

Are you are hosting a Fourth of July picnic, a wedding rehearsal dinner, birthday party, Valentine's Day or date night dinner? Adding these lemony cream cheese filled strawberries for a dessert option is going to be a lifesaver. These cheesecake stuffed strawberries take less than 30 minutes to throw together. You never have to turn on the oven. Woo Hoo! Now, that is our kind of summer no-cook dessert.

Holding a filled strawberry with an upclose macro shot of strawberry.

Benefits of Making Stuffed Strawberries

These cool healthy snacks are keto approved, low carb friendly, gluten-free and vegan.

When planning a gathering, the very last thing we want to be doing is slaving in the hot kitchen. Who is with us on that? These super easy strawberry treats can be made in advance. Actually, they are even better if made a few hours in advance. The little extra time in the refrigerator, keeps these delicious treats cool and the cream cheese filling firm. On a super-hot day, pop them in the freezer for a half hour before serving for a frosty treat.

Ingredients

With only a few ingredients, make sure that you use very fresh items as each one counts.

Fresh ripe large strawberries – check to make sure that your strawberries are ready and ripe and not white at the top or bottom. Strawberries should be plump bright red all around. The leaves should be green and fresh. Choose extra large strawberries so you have room for the cheesecake stuffing!

Cream cheese – we used a light cream cheese. (If you have a dairy sensitivity, make a batch of our Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream. Exchange the coconut whipped topping for the cream cheese and the Greek yogurt in this recipe.)

Plain Greek Yogurt just a tablespoon as it adds that little tang. If you do not have, you can skip this ingredient.

Fresh Lemon Zest and a lot of it. We used 2 teaspoons as it really brightens the cream cheese filling. If you do not have lemon juice, try the zest of an orange, lime or even a kumquat.

Pure Vanilla Extract, pure vanilla or even dried vanilla bean.

Sugar Alternative or powdered sugar as desired. We used a sugar alternative (Truvia) to keep this recipe low carb. However, feel free to swap out with real powdered sugar as desired. The ratio of powdered sugar to Truvia is ⅓ cup powdered sugar or 2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoons of Truvia.

Fresh Blueberries for a beautiful red, white and blue patriotic dessert.

How to Prep the Strawberries

Ok, go ahead and eat a fresh strawberry now. We know you want one or maybe two. They are so darn good, when in season. If you have extra, you may want to try our super easy Strawberry Rhubarb Refrigerator Jam. Now, let's get to work!

First, you will want to gently wash the strawberries in cool water and allow to dry. Next, gently cut off the strawberry stem and leaves. You will notice that large strawberries already have the start of an empty cavity. Take a melon baller or a paring knife and scoop out the extra pulp inside to make room for the lemony cream cheese filling. You can reserve the scooped-out strawberry bits for our Summer Salad with Strawberry Rose Dressing.

Step by step how to make lemony cream cheese filling for strawberries.

Lemony Cheesecake Filling

Don't you just love how adding aromatics to a recipe reduces the need for sugar? Fresh lemon and vanilla do just that! Plain light cream cheese and plain Greek yogurt lack umph all on their own. Even with vanilla, their flavor is quite flat. However, add a good deal of lemon zest and the flavor just pops. We just popped all the ingredients such as cream cheese, Greek yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla, and sugar alternative into a food processor for a quick and easy smooth lemon filling.

A stuffed strawberry cut in half to show the filling.

Stuffing the Strawberries

If you are obsessed with having your strawberries stand upright, then trim off a little off the bottom of the strawberry so they lay upright. We are not so fussy about that and do not want to waste any of the strawberry. So, we left them whole.

Try dipping the strawberries in melted chocolate and chilling them BEFORE filling them to make Cheesecake Stuffed chocolate dipped strawberries. Mmmm, might have to give that a go soon.

We used a bag to pipe in the cream cheese filling. Well not exactly a piping bag but a gallon sized Ziplock plastic bag with a hole cut off of the end. Do you have a proper pastry bag and pastry tips? Then, you are better equipped than us.

Place the delicious keto friendly cheesecake filling in the bag. Grab the end and twist so that the filling is ready to pipe into the strawberries. Fill each strawberry with the lemony cheesecake filling in a swirled circular fashion. Now, can you refrain from eating one? (smiling)

Red, white and blue patriotic strawberries.

Red, White and Blue Desserts

Don't forget the blueberries! With the bright red strawberries, white creamy filling and blueberries, you are all decked out for the 4^th of July. If you are looking for other desserts for the 4^th, be sure to try our red, white and blue 3 Healthy Sorbet Recipes (Lychee, Raspberry and Blueberry) and Rainbow Berry Rooibos Ice Pops.

Red, white and blue strawberries are lined up in a row in the refrigerator.

Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ's)

How to Choose the Freshest Strawberries

If you pick your own strawberries, pick them in the morning when the berries are still cool. Grab the berries between your thumb and index finger and pull and twist gently so you have a little of the stem too. Choose strawberries that are bright red all over without blemishes. The leaves of the strawberry plant should look green and bright. Do not choose strawberries that are green on the top or bottom as these are not yet ripe. Strawberries do not continue to ripen after they are picked.

If you are buying strawberries from the market, look at the bottom of the package to make sure they are fresh, and no bruising or mold is growing.

What is the best way to store fresh strawberries?

Refrigerator: Fresh strawberries only last about 3 days in the refrigerator. Do not wash them and leave the stems on. Place strawberries on a flat plate in a single layer and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Freezer: Washed, stem removed and either whole or chopped strawberries can last up to 3 months in the freezer. We like to prep the strawberries and let them dry. Then, we place whole strawberry lined with parchment paper or waxed paper in a single layer on a baking sheet. We place the baking sheet with the strawberries in the freezer just until frozen solid. This prevents the strawberries from sticking together in the freezer. Then, we place the frozen strawberries in freezer safe storage bags and place in the freezer for use later.

Can you freeze stuffed strawberries?

Yes, you certainly can. You can freeze your strawberries with cream cheese filling COVERED for up to 2 hours. Any longer than this and they might get mushy.

When the weather is hot and muggy, this is the preferred method, especially if serving at a picnic outdoors. After you stuff your strawberries, place them on a lined baking sheet in the freezer. From 30 minutes to 2 hours in the freezer gives your strawberries and the filling a chance to firm up Just allow your cheesecake stuffed strawberries to come to temperature for about 20 minutes for a delicious frosty treat.

Cheesecake stuffed strawberries on a old fashion white and blue plate.

More Delicious Dessert Recipes

Tropical Maja Blanca

Matcha Banana Strawberry Cups

Rainbow Berry Rooibos Ice Pops

Avocado Ice Candy

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Bowl of strawberries stuffed with lemon cream cheese filling and topped with a blueberry.

▢
food processor

▢ 12 large strawberries
▢ 9 ounces cream cheese
light
▢ 1 tablespoon yogurt Greek or low fat - optional but gives the dessert a little extra tang.
▢ 2 tablespoons Truvia (total of 2 tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons) or sugar alternative of choice or ⅓ cup powdered sugar.
▢ 2 teaspoons Truvia
▢ 2 teaspoons lemon zest
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
▢ 12 blueberries

Wash and dry strawberries and cut off the stem. Scoop out the middle of the strawberry with a corer or paring knife so you can put in the filling. Set aside.
In a food processor or high powered blender, mix the cream cheese, yogurt, sweetener of choice (we used Truvia - sugar alternative to keep it low carb but you can also use ⅓ cup powdered sugar), lemon zest and vanilla until process for about 1-2 minutes or until until creamy and fluffy. To make sure there are no lumps, please scape down the sides with a spoon or spatula and blend again for 1 minute until smooth.
Place the cream cheese mixture into a bag and pipe cream cheese filling into strawberries (We just spooned the cream cheese mixture in a sealable gallon baggie and cut off end to make a make shift pastry bag). No special equipment is needed.
Place one blueberry on the top of each strawberry and plate up your creation.
Enjoy!

You can eat these delicious patriotic strawberries with cream cheese filling straight away.

However, it is even better to make them in advance. We like to refrigerate for 2- 4 hours before serving so that the filling has a chance to set. If you are hosting a gathering, you can prep your strawberries, make the filling and then 2 hours before your event stuff the strawberries and chill for 2 hours. Enjoy with your guests.

Can you freeze stuffed strawberries?

Yes, you certainly can. You can freeze your strawberries with cream cheese filling COVERED for up to 2 hours. Any longer than this and they might get mushy.

Stuffed strawberries can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in a sealed container, depending on how fresh your strawberries are.

Dairy Sensitivity?

(If you have a dairy sensitivity, make a batch of our Homemade Coconut Whipped Cream. Exchange the coconut whipped topping for the cream cheese and the Greek yogurt in this recipe.)

What Can I Do With Strawberries and Cream Cheese

Source: https://www.hwcmagazine.com/recipe/valentine-strawberry-bliss/

Ferguson Cohned