Berry Delight

This vibrant holiday dessert layers a sweet and buttery crust with a creamy and airy cheesecake-ish filling, completed with a blueberry-gelatin topping. Once chilled to set, it’s sliced and served as a refreshing summer dessert with or without a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of ice cream. 

As a no-bake recipe, this berry delight will free up oven space for other summer party cooking. Since it needs to chill for at least 4 hours to set properly, it’s ideal for making ahead. The fresh blueberries and gelatin topping provides a simple and fun way to turn this layered dessert into the ideal red, white, and blue treat that’s perfect for all your patriotic celebrations.  

What is berry delight?

This summer-inspired berry delight is a no-bake layered dessert with a buttery graham cracker crust, a smooth and creamy cheesecake-like filling, and a bright berry-gelatin topping that sets into a glossy, fruit-studded topping. 

It’s similar to my Cranberry Pretzel Salad with the crust, creamy filling, and gelatin topping, though this berry delight uses a sweet cracker crust and fresh blueberries instead of salty pretzels and cranberry sauce. 

Why you’ll love this berry delight

• A no-bake, make-ahead dessert that sets in the fridge, so you can relax while it chills and serve it straight from the dish without fuss.
• With its red, white, and blue layers, this stunning dessert doubles as a patriotic showpiece for Memorial Day, the 4th of July, or any summer celebration.
• Creamy cheesecake-like layers, buttery graham cracker crust, and juicy bursts of fresh berries deliver an irresistible contrast of textures in every bite!

Ingredients needed to make this berry delight dessert

• Graham cracker sheets: Blended until finely ground to make the crust for this berry delight recipe. You can also use pretzels or another type of sweet cracker or wafer, if desired. 
• Sugar: Brown sugar provides a rich caramel flavor and extra moisture to help the crust keep shape. 
• Butter: Salted butter will enhance the flavor of the crust. Melt it for easy mixing into the ground crackers and sugar. 
• Heavy cream: Lightens the cream cheese filling into a fluffy, mousse-like layer and adds stability for a distinct texture. You could use Cool Whip, but this will make the dessert slightly sweeter. 
• Cream cheese: Softened at room temperature for easy mixing. 
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the cheesecake-like filling. 
• Vanilla extract: For depth of flavor. 
• Strawberry gelatin: Adds fruity flavor and creates a jiggly, gel-like texture for the top layers. You could also try Strawberry Jello powder which contains gelatin.
• Water: Boiled to dissolve the flavored gelatin when making the top layers of this dessert. 
• Fresh blueberries: Tossed in the remaining gelatin mixture until fully coated and then added as a top layer for this dessert before being chilled to set completely. 

How do you make this berry delight? 

Prepare the baking dish:

1. Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 

Make and chill the crust:

1. Using a blender or food processor, pulse the Graham cracker sheets and brown sugar into a finely ground consistency. Slowly pour the melted butter in while the food processor is still running until the texture resembles coarse sand. 
2. Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared dish and press it into a firm, even layer. A flat-bottomed measuring cup works well for this. 
3. Freeze for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 2 days to allow the crust to set.

Add the cream cheese filling:

1. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the heavy cream for about 3 minutes on medium-high until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. 
2. Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the stand mixer, and beat again until light, fluffy, and lump-free.  
3. Whisk in a third of the whipped cream by hand, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula. 
4. Spread half of the cream cheese filling evenly over the chilled crust.

Add the strawberry gelatin layers:

1. Pour the boiling water into a heatproof bowl and whisk in the gelatin for 2 minutes until it fully dissolves.
2. Add ⅓ cup of the gelatin to the remaining half of the cream cheese and beat until fully combined. Spread this mixture over the first layer of plain cream cheese filling. 
3. For the second gelatin layer, toss the fresh berries in the remaining gelatin mixture so they are fully coated. Spoon this over the previous layer evenly. 

Chill and serve:

1. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 12 hours to set. 
2. Slice into even squares and enjoy as is or garnish with whipped cream, if desired. 

Serving

Serve this berry delight as a no-bake summer dessert with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream.

Serve marinated and grilled chicken, a charred grilled corn salad, and grilled polenta Caprese, followed by this delicious dessert as a knock-out lineup for your next gathering!

Sandy’s tips and substitutions:

• Storage: Store leftover berry delight in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. The flavors of the dessert will intensify as it chills – Yum!
• Freezing: You can freeze leftover berry delight for up to 1 month, although the top layer of gelatin-coated blueberries may be altered and the crust can turn a bit soggy from freezing and thawing.
• Make ahead: Assemble this no-bake berry delight the day before since it needs to chill in the fridge between 4-12 hours anyway. 
• Keep chilled: This assembled dessert must remain in the fridge until ready to be served and should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 20 minutes. 
• Don’t overmix: Be careful that you don’t overmix the cream cheese mixture or the filling won’t be light and fluffy. 
• Lemon: In addition to the lemon juice, you could add fresh lemon zest to the cream cheese filling. It will balance the sweetness, brighten the flavors, and improve the creamy texture of this cranberry pretzel salad. 
• Soften cream cheese: Let the cream cheese soften at room temperature to prevent lumps and for easier mixing. If you’re in a rush, you can remove the cream cheese from the foil lining and microwave it for very short intervals. 
• Warm your knife: For cleaner slices, run your knife under warm water before cutting to serve this dessert.

Variations:

• Strawberry delight: If you don’t like blueberries, use strawberries instead for the top gelatin layer. Likewise, you can change the flavored gelatin and fresh berries with another preferred fruit for a different dessert. 
• Pretzel base: Use crushed pretzels instead of Graham cracker sheets if you don’t want a typical cracker crust.  
• Gluten-free berry delight: Use gluten-free Graham cracker sheets to create a gluten-free base and dessert. 
• Lemon juice: Add a splash of fresh lemon juice when making the cream cheese filling, if you like. It will cut through the richness while adding a pop of brightness to the dessert. 
• Extra blueberry flavor: You can gently fold extra blueberries in the bottom plain cream cheese layer if you want a boost of blueberry flavor and texture in this dessert. 

For more chilled summer desserts for your Memorial Day, 4th of July BBQ’s or any family get-togethers, try my Orange Creamsicle Frozen Dessert, Banana Split Freezer Dessert, or Strawberry Crunch.

More red, white, and blue desserts you may want to try:

• 4th of July Fruit Pizza
• Best Strawberry Trifle Recipe
• Blueberry Cheesecake Dip Recipe
• 4th July Sugar Cookie Bars
• Strawberry Blueberry Panna Cotta
• 4th of July Poke Cake

No ratings yet

Leave a Review

Get the Recipe:

Berry Delight

Sandy Coughlin

Berry delight is the perfect patriotic dessert to feature on your list of summer desserts. It layers a buttery crust, creamy cheesecake-like filling, and blueberry-gelatin topping, served in slices with or without whipped cream or ice cream.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

freezing time: 4 hours hrs

Total Time: 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Yield: 9

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!

Ingredients

 

1x2x3x

For the Crust

• 12 graham cracker sheets, about 6 1/2 ounces
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted

For the Filling

• 1 ½ cups heavy cream
• 1 8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
• 1 3 ounce strawberry gelatin
• ½ cup boiling water
• 1 lb. fresh blueberries

Equipment

• 9×9 baking dish

Instructions

 

• Lightly grease a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Using a blender or food processor, pulse the Graham cracker sheets and brown sugar into a finely ground consistency. Slowly pour the melted butter in while the food processor is still running until the texture resembles coarse sand.
• Transfer the crust mixture to the prepared dish and press it into a firm, even layer. A flat-bottomed measuring cup works well for this.
• Freeze for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 2 days to allow the crust to set.
• Using a hand or stand mixer, beat the heavy cream for about 3 minutes on medium-high until stiff peaks. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
• Add the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla to the stand mixer, and beat again until light, fluffy, and lump-free.
• Whisk in a third of the whipped cream by hand, then gently fold in the rest with a rubber spatula.
• Spread half of the cream cheese filling evenly over the chilled crust.
• Pour the boiling water into a heatproof bowl and whisk in the gelatin for 2 minutes until it fully dissolves.
• Add ⅓ cup of the gelatin to the remaining half of the cream cheese and beat until fully combined. Spread this mixture over the first layer of plain cream cheese filling.
• For the second gelatin layer, toss the fresh berries in the remaining gelatin mixture so they are fully coated. Spoon this over the previous layer evening.
• Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 12 hours to set.
• Slice into even squares and enjoy as is or garnish with whipped cream, if desired.

Notes

Sandy’s tips:

• Storage: Store leftover berry delight in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days. The flavors of the dessert will intensify as it chills – Yum!
• Freezing: You can freeze leftover berry delight for up to 1 month, although the top layer of gelatin-coated blueberries may be altered and the crust can turn a bit soggy from freezing and thawing.
• Make ahead: Assemble this no-bake berry delight the day before since it needs to chill in the fridge between 4-12 hours anyway. 
• Keep chilled: This assembled dessert must remain in the fridge until ready to be served and should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 20 minutes. 
• Warm your knife: For cleaner slices, run your knife under warm water before cutting to serve this dessert.

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Calories: 342kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 24g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 66mg, Sodium: 201mg, Potassium: 123mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 858IU, Vitamin C: 5mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1mg

Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!