Dorothy Kern
This is the perfect no-bake recipe: a Berry Dessert Lush, which is a layered no bake cheesecake with fresh berries and a vanilla wafer cookie crust. It’s easy to make and assemble and SO good to eat!
This dessert is made with Challenge Dairy, whose butter and cream cheese I use in my kitchen regularly!
There are so many names for desserts like this: No Bake Dessert, Delight, Lasagna, Lush. But whatever you call it, call it delicious.
This Berry Dessert Lush is a one pan layered dessert that’s perfect for summer. It’s layered with no-bake cheesecake and a vanilla wafer crust. This dessert is the perfect amount of sweet, creamy and crunch with lots of pops of fresh strawberries and blueberries.
I love making no-bakes like this all year long, but especially in spring and summer when fresh fruit is at its peak. With just a few ingredients anyone can make this dessert in no time at all.
Table of Contents
There are three different components in this dessert, so let’s talk about each one.
Crunchy Vanilla Wafer Crust
I love using vanilla wafer cookies for crust recipes because they are easy to crush without a food processor. They also have a bit more flavor than plain graham crackers, and are a nice surprise in this dessert.
To make your crust you need:
- Vanilla wafer cookies
- Challenge Unsalted Butter
- Sealable plastic bag and rolling pin
Simply add your cookies to the bag and crust with a rolling pin. I love that you don’t need a food processor for this – and it’s fun to get the kids in the kitchen to help you crush the cookies.
Just like making any no-bake crust, you need butter to bind the cookies together. I always use Challenge Butter, because it’s the best. As you all know, it’s the only butter I grew up eating (ask my dad about butter and he’ll tell you all about it!) Challenge Butter is made the old fashioned way from cows at more than 400 family owned dairies in the Challenge cooperative.
Challenge Unsalted Butter was also selected as Cook’s Illustrated’s favorite among top-selling brands, so when you use it you’re know you’re getting the best.
No Bake Cheesecake Filling
The cheesecake filling couldn’t be more easy. You just need a bowl and a hand mixer to whip it up quick!
- Challenge Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Whipped Topping
I love using Challenge Cream Cheese because it’s smooth and silky and tastes great, plus it comes from a company I trust. You will taste the difference, believe me!
Just mix softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla, then mix in thawed whipped topping. The cheesecake mixture is a perfect mix: creamy and not too sweet!
Six simple steps and you’re ready to assemble your No Bake Berry Lasagna!
What kind of berries to use in Berry Lush
I decided to use strawberries and blueberries in my dessert, but you can pick what you think looks the best at the store. Pick ANY combinations of fresh berries for this recipe.
Note: I wouldn’t use frozen fruit. Once it thaws it’s pretty wet and will make your dessert soggy.
You’ll need about a pound of strawberries and half pound of blueberries. The amount kind of depends on the size of the fruit but figure between 1-2 pounds of your choice of:
- Strawberries
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Blackberries
You could even use peaches!
Assembling a No Bake Berry Cheesecake Dessert
Assembling the dessert is the fun part! Start with an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
Press the crust in the bottom of the pan. Chill while you make the filling.
Top the crust with half the no bake cheesecake filling. Layer with half the berries.
Repeat the layers until you’re all out of fruit and filling. Then top with whipped topping and crushed vanilla wafers.
You can eat this dessert right away, but it tastes better after it sits in the refrigerator for an hour or two.
Storing No Bake Berry Dessert
You’ll want to store this in the refrigerator. Keep it covered with plastic wrap.
This is best within 1-2 days. After that the fruit will start to get weepy and make the cheesecake and crust soggy. Good luck making it even last that long!
Remember – use the best ingredients to make the best desserts! Challenge Dairy makes the best butter and cream cheese and will give your dessert the best flavor, especially in a simple no-bake dessert like this!
Other recipes using Challenge Dairy
- No Bake Cherry Cheesecake
- Cheesecake Apple Salad
- Chocolate Butter Cake
- Chocolate Chip Brookies
- Elmer’s Brown Sugar Pecan Pie
Have you made this recipe?
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No Bake Berry Dessert Lush Recipe
Ingredients
- 35 vanilla wafer cookies (1 1/2 cups), plus more for the top
- 5 tablespoons Challenge Unsalted Butter melted
- 8 ounces Challenge Cream Cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 8 ounce containers whipped topping thawed
- 1-2 pounds fresh berries (strawberries & blueberries or your favorite)
Instructions
- Place cookies in a large resealable gallon size bag. Seal all but 1" of the bag (so air can escape) and crush with a rolling pin.
- Stir cookie crumbs and melted butter with a fork. Press into an 8-inch or 9-inch square pan.
- Add cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until smooth, then mix in one container (8-ounces) of whipped topping. Reserve other container for topping.
- Slice berries as desired.
- Assemble the dessert: spread half the cheesecake mixture on top the crust. Spread half the berries on top. Cover with the remaining cheesecake mixture and top with remaining berries.
- Top the dessert with about half the remaining whipped topping. Crush more cookies and sprinkle on top, if desired. Chill for about an hour before serving.
- Store in refrigerator for 1-2 days.
Nutrition Information
Nutritional information not guaranteed to be accurate
A No Bake Berry Dessert Lush is an easy summer dessert recipe with a no bake cheesecake and lots of fresh berries. It’s like a dessert lasagna or no bake delight with a Nilla Wafer crust.
All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.
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Published on: March 19, 2020
This looks and sounds amazing, perfect for a hot summer day! Quick question… would this recipe still work if I used fresh whipped cream instead?
You can but it won’t last as long – you’ll want to eat within a day or so otherwise the whipped cream might collapse.
Ahhhh yes, very good point! Thank you 🙂
Can I freeze the leftovers?
This looks delicious! Thanks for sharing and can’t wait to try it!
Looks sooo yummy 😋