Best Classic Cherry Delight
This classic cherry delight dessert, Aka, “Cherry Yum Yum” with its rich and creamy cheesecake filling and graham cracker crust and thick layer of sweet cherry topping will become your family’s favorite! It may look impressive but it’s an easy creamy dessert. It’s the perfect sweet treat for Valentine’s Day!
Cherry Delight Recipe
A cherry delight dessert may not be as common as an apple pie, banana pudding, and other staples desserts of Southern cooking, but it’s an absolute treat that you will have to taste to believe. It’s one that I can’t put down after just one slice, and I know you’ll want to go back for seconds, too. The best part is that it’s a no bake cherry delight, so no need for egg yolks or egg whites or turning on the oven, making it a great summer dessert.
Even better, this cherry dessert can be put together quickly, and it can even be made ahead of time to finish off a big meal without adding to all the stress you have in the kitchen as-is.
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How to Make It
This recipe for a cherry delight is very simple, and I like to make it layer by layer to make sure each part gets a little bit of love put into it. This is kind of creamy treat you need after a long day. I hope you can make it! Let’s go over the different parts.
The Graham Cracker Crust
This classic cherry delight is essentially a fancy cheesecake with cherry topping, and like any cheesecake, the crust brings the whole thing together. So, make sure you give it the attention it deserves and mix everything evenly.
Side note: FYI, I didn’t bother with this step, but if you’d like to line your pan just line a 9×9 pan with aluminum foil. Try to use one of the heavy-duty foils, because you’ll be pressing the crust into it with a little bit of force, and you don’t want to rip it or put holes in your lining.
- 1. To make the homemade graham cracker crust, you need to make the crumb mixture, crush your graham crackers with a food processor. Use gluten graham crackers if necessary.
- 2. The crust ingredients are simple. Just Add melted butter and sugar and process it the crumbs come together.
- 3. Press the “dough” into the bottom of your baking dish. That’s it for the graham cracker crust! Easy right?
The Cream Cheese Filling
There’s nothing fancy here. This is just a good old fashioned, rich and creamy, no-bake cheesecake filling you’ve probably had in similar recipes, but when it’s added to the crunchy graham cracker crust and topped with little flavor-bomb cherries, it’s an entirely new delightful experience.
When I’m making desserts with whipped cream, I prefer to make it from scratch, however, you can get away with dream whip in a pinch however, to make this cherry delight, I suggest you go with homemade since it tastes so much better than store-bought.
Also, it only has two common ingredients; not the long list of science experiment stuff the store-bought brands use.
- Whipped cream: To make this easy cherry delight recipe, first start by adding the heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract and sugar to a large bowl. With an electric mixer, mix until the cream reaches a stiff peak.
- Cream cheese: Here’s an important tip that some people tend to forget but please make sure you use softened cream cheese. If you rush and use cold cream cheese, you won’t get †hat creamy cream cheese filling.
You’ll want to start out by using a mixer to smooth out the softened cream cheese. This can take a couple minutes, and you want to make sure you get it as smooth as possible. - Combine: Once you’ve made the base with cream cheese base, it’s time to add the whipped cream that makes it the sweet, rich, dream of a dessert we’ve all come to know and love. Add half of the whipped cream to the cheese mix. |
You don’t want to add it all at once, because you want to get it as evenly mixed in as possible without over mixing it. Use your mixer on low just to gently mix it in, and then do the same with the remaining half. - The spread: Finally, you’re ready to spread it over the crust. I like to keep it spread evenly and use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top.
It’s not necessary, but it makes it look a lot better, and we eat with our eyes way before it gets to our mouth. Take your time while spreading it, and you won’t be disappointed. - Refrigerate: Let this sit in the fridge with a plastic wrap cover over night to make sure it sets perfectly. Cheesecake is supposed to be firm and creamy. Not watery and falling apart.
The Cherry Delight Topping
You can make this amazing cherry delight dessert two ways, but this is the Tastes Better from Scratch kitchen, so I obviously recommend taking the homemade route.
However, if they’re not in season don’t be ashamed about cracking open a can of cherry pie filling for this one.
It’s less expensive than fresh cherries, and while it’s not as fresh, it’ll still make the whole family smile from ear to ear.
How to make homemade cherry filling
- You’ll need 4 cups of pitted cherries, ¼ cup cornstarch, and 1-cup white sugar. This will only take about 15 minutes to make, and it’ll make plenty of topping for your Cherry Delight, as well as have a little left over to reward the cook, if you know what I mean.
- To make the cherry delight topping, Start by simply adding your cherries to a sauce pan with a tightly-fitted lid and heating them for about 10 minutes.
They’ll start to release their sugar-packed and flavorful juices, as well as break down a little bit to give them the texture you expect from a pie filling. - Now, mix together your cornstarch and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Finally, add the mixture to your hot cherry filling, and mix well. Let it simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened.
You can let this cool completely to room temperature, place it in a plastic air tight container or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate it while your cheesecake settles. - Once all of this is done, just spread the cherries across the cheesecake right before serving. Feel free to use strawberries if don’t care for cherries.
Your now ready to enjoy the most addicting cherry delight ever! The printable recipe card is below!
Best Cherry Delight
Ingredients
Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cream cheese filling
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
Graham cracker crust
- 36 graham crackers
- 8 tbsp unsalted butter
- small pinch or two of salt
Instructions
Graham cracker crust
- Process the graham crackers in a food processor to a fine crumb.
- Add the melted butter and process until the crumbs are moistened with butter and it starts to come together.
- Press into the bottom of an 9×9-inch pan. Chill until ready to use.
Whipped Cream
- Place the powdered sugar and vanilla extract into the mixing bowl and add half of the whipping cream. Don't add it all at once. With an electric mixer on medium, mix just until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Place the whipped cream in the fridge until you're ready to use it. And then do the same with the remaining half.
Cream Cheese Mixture
- Use a hand mixer, mix powdered sugar into the cream cheese until combined. Next fold in whipped cream.
- Spread filling on top of chilled crust. Top with canned or homemade cherry pie filling. See notes…Chill until set, at least 1-1.5 hrs before serving.
Notes
Homemade Cherry Filling
- 4 cups of pitted cherries, ¼ cup cornstarch, and 1-cup white sugar. This will only take about 15 minutes to make, and it’ll make plenty of topping for your Cherry Delight, as well as have a little left over to reward the cook or cool and save it for another dessert or top it over pancakes or waffles etc.
- Start by simply adding your cherries to a sauce pan with a tightly-fitted lid and heating them for about 10 minutes. They’ll start to release their sugar-packed and flavorful juices, as well as break down a little bit to give them the texture you expect from a pie filling.
- Now, mix together your cornstarch and sugar in a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Finally, add the mixture to your hot cherry filling, and mix well. Let it simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened. You can let this cool completely to room temperature, place it in a plastic air tight container, and refrigerate it while your cheesecake settles.
- Once all of this is done, just spread the cherries across the cheesecake right before serving, and you’re ready to chow down on one of the most addicting desserts I have ever tasted. (cherry filling adapted from Allrecipes).
How to store your Cherry Delight
Cover with plastic wrap and it will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator. If you like this cherry delight recipe, please Pin it to save to your Pinterest board!😊Nutrition
If you like this cherry delight recipe, please Pin it to save to your Pinterest board!😊
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