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This Cherry Delight Recipe is the ultimate no-bake dessert! It’s a classic potluck staple featuring a buttery graham cracker crust, a velvety smooth cheesecake filling, and a vibrant cherry topping. Whether you call it Cherry Delight or a cherry salad, this easy, 3-layer dessert is always the first to disappear at family reunions and summer BBQs.
This classic Cherry Delight is a 3-layer no-bake dessert consisting of a graham cracker crust, a cream cheese filling, and cherry pie filling. The recipe yields 12 servings and takes approximately 30 minutes of active prep time. It features a stable cheesecake layer made with Cool Whip and can be prepared up to 48 hours in advance for potlucks and parties.
Crunchy crust, creamy cheesecake, and cherry pie filling – there isn’t much better than that! Depending on where you’re from, you might call it a cherry delight salad since it’s basically the same thing as strawberry pretzel salad but made with cherries instead. You’ll love this recipe because it uses delicious cherry pie filling and the best graham cracker crust. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious!
The secret to the perfect Cherry Delight is the balance of textures. Unlike some versions that can be too soft, this recipe uses a specific ratio of cream cheese and whipped topping to ensure the middle layer is stable and sliceable. It is a set it and forget it dessert that actually tastes better the next day, making it the perfect stress-free option for your next gathering.
Ingredient in Cherry Delight
- The Crust: Graham cracker crumbs, Brown sugar, and melted butter, just like my favorite no-bake graham cracker crust recipe.
- For a no-bake graham cracker crust that doesn’t crumble, use packed brown sugar instead of granulated sugar. The moisture in the brown sugar works with the melted butter to create a firmer seal once chilled, ensuring your slices stay intact when serving.
- To avoid tiny white lumps in your filling, your cream cheese must be at true room temperature before mixing. Cold cream cheese will not emulsify properly with the powdered sugar and vanilla, leading to a gritty texture that cannot be fixed once the whipped topping is folded in.
- Powdered sugar – you can swap granulated sugar in an equal amount.
- Cool Whip – any kind, or substitute 2 cups freshly whipped cream.
- Cherry Pie Filling – I used my homemade cherry pie filling but you can use a can instead.
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Dorothy’s Expert Cherry Delight Tips
- You can use ANY pie filling (cherry, blueberry, apple…and this dessert is delish with any of them).
- If you can get your hands on fresh cherries or want to make a homemade cherry pie filling with frozen, you can. But homemade isn’t required: you can actually just use a can of pie filling if you prefer!
- Make sure to chill this to set – it’s great to make ahead because of that reason.
- Want to use fresh whipped cream instead of cool whip? Beat 1 1/2 cups of heavy whipping cream with 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and then gently fold it into the cheesecake mixture.
- While the active prep time is only 30 minutes, this dessert requires at least one full hour of chilling before adding the cherry topping, and another hour before slicing. This allows the fats in the cream cheese to solidify, providing the necessary structure to support the weight of the fruit filling.
Cherry Delight Recipe
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1 ½ cups (154g) graham cracker crumbs (about 9 sheets)
- 7 tablespoons (99g) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (50g) packed brown sugar
- Pinch Salt
Filling:
- 8 ounces (226g) Cream Cheese room temperature
- 1 cup (113g) powdered sugar
- 8 ounces (226g) Cool Whip (1 container)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
- 1 (20 ounce) can Cherry Pie Filling (or from scratch)
Instructions
- Stir graham cracker crumbs, salt, and brown sugar and melted butter in small bowl with a fork until all cookies are moistened with butter. Press into the bottom of an 8×8-inch pan. Chill until filling is ready.
- Use a hand mixer to mix powdered sugar into cream cheese until combined. Mix in vanilla and fold in whipped topping.
- Spread filling on top of chilled crust. Top with cherry pie filling.
- Chill until set, at least one hour, before serving.
Recipe Notes
- You can make this in a pie pan as a pie if you prefer
- Use canned pie filling (any flavor!) or homemade
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, loosely covered.
Recipe Nutrition
How to Make Cherry Delight
- For the filling, you only need four ingredients and it’s simple to make. Just combine the cream cheese with the powdered sugar. Mix in the vanilla. Then fold the Cool Whip into the mixture.
- Make the crust by stirring together all the ingredients and pressing in the bottom of a 9×9 or 8×8-inch baking dish.
- Top with the cheesecake.
- Top with the pie fillling. Chill to set.
FAQs
Yes! While traditionally made in an 8×8-inch pan, this recipe works perfectly in a standard 9-inch pie plate as a Cherry Delight Pie.
It can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The crust will eventually soften, so it is best served within 24-48 hours.
You can use a from-scratch cherry pie filling made with fresh cherries, but ensure it is completely cooled before spreading it over the cheesecake layer to prevent melting.
They are essentially the same dessert! Depending on the region, some call it a “salad” because it belongs to the retro family of layered fruit desserts like Strawberry Pretzel Salad.
in the instructions cinnamon is listed as one of the crust components but ingredient list does not mention it. how much cinnamon if any?
Hi Teresa, there is no cinnamon needed for this recipe. Thanks for catching that! It’s been removed from the post.
Great quick dessert.
Glad you like it, Kathy. Thanks!
Looks delicious. Thank you
Enjoy!
Are you suppose to spray the baking dish ahead of the graham crackers? It was so hard to get it out of the pan when it was done
I don’t usually but if you have trouble, then it’s a good idea. Usually the butter in the crust makes it easy to come out – you can also line your pan with parchment paper. Often it’ll be hard to slice straight from the fridge; you can let it warm up just a bit and it should slice easier.
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