Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl
Prep time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Ingredients
For the biscuit crumble
- 1½ cups (150 g) digestive biscuits or graham crackers
- 4 tablespoons (55 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cheesecake cream
- 8 oz (225 g) full-fat cream cheese, softened
- ¾ cup (180 g) Greek yogurt
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Pinch of salt
For the strawberries
- 2 cups (300 g) fresh strawberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the strawberry sauce
- 1 cup (150 g) strawberries, chopped
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
For topping
- Fresh strawberries, sliced
- Crushed biscuits
- Whipped cream
- White chocolate shavings, optional
- Fresh mint, optional
1. Make the biscuit crumble
Crush the digestive biscuits into fine crumbs.
You can use a food processor or place them in a sealed bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Add the crumbs to a bowl.
Stir in the melted butter, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla.
The mixture should resemble damp sand.
For a toasted, crunchier crumble, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 8–10 minutes, stirring once halfway through.
Let it cool completely.
2. Prepare the strawberries
Hull the strawberries and cut them into bite-sized pieces.
Place them in a bowl with the sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Gently toss everything together.
Let the strawberries sit for about 15 minutes.
The sugar will draw out some of their natural juices, creating a beautiful sweet strawberry syrup.
3. Make the strawberry sauce
Place the chopped strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan.
Cook over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Mash some of the berries with the back of a spoon while leaving a few small pieces intact.
Mix the cornstarch with the water in a small bowl.
Pour the slurry into the strawberries while stirring.
Cook for another 1–2 minutes, until the sauce thickens.
Remove from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
For a completely smooth sauce, blend it and strain out the seeds.
4. Make the cheesecake cream
Place the softened cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Add the Greek yogurt, powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, lemon zest, and salt.
Beat until completely smooth.
There shouldn’t be any lumps of cream cheese remaining.
5. Whip the cream
In a separate bowl, beat the cold heavy cream until medium-stiff peaks form.
Don’t overwhip it.
The cream should be fluffy and thick but still smooth.
Add approximately one-third of the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture.
Fold gently.
Add the remaining whipped cream in two additions, folding carefully until the mixture becomes light and mousse-like.
6. Assemble the bowls
Use four glasses, dessert bowls, or small jars.
Start with a layer of biscuit crumble.
Add a generous layer of cheesecake cream.
Spoon over some macerated strawberries.
Add another layer of cheesecake cream.
Drizzle with strawberry sauce.
Repeat the layers until the bowls are filled.
Don’t mix everything together—you want to see distinct layers of golden biscuit, white cheesecake cream, and bright red strawberries.
7. Create a strawberry swirl
For an attractive finish, spoon a little strawberry sauce onto the top of each bowl.
Use a toothpick or the tip of a small knife to gently swirl the sauce through the cheesecake cream.
Only make a few movements.
Overmixing will turn the cream pink rather than creating a pretty strawberry marble.
8. Chill
Refrigerate the bowls for at least 30 minutes before serving.
For a firmer, more cheesecake-like texture, refrigerate for 2–3 hours.
Add the crunchy toppings just before serving.
9. Decorate
Top each bowl with:
- Fresh sliced strawberries
- A spoonful of biscuit crumble
- Whipped cream
- White chocolate shavings
For an elegant finish, add one whole strawberry and a tiny mint leaf.
No-Cook Shortcut
If you want to make this dessert quickly, skip the cooked strawberry sauce.
Simply mash:
- 1 cup strawberries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Let them sit for 10–15 minutes.
The berries will create their own juicy sauce.
This version is particularly good when strawberries are very ripe and sweet.
Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl With Chocolate
For a chocolate-strawberry version, add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the biscuit crumbs.
Use chocolate digestive biscuits if available.
Finish the bowls with chocolate curls or mini chocolate chips.
White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bowl
Melt 3 oz (85 g) white chocolate and let it cool slightly.
Beat it into the cheesecake mixture before folding in the whipped cream.
The result is sweeter and richer, with a lovely white-chocolate flavor.
Extra-Creamy Cheesecake Layer
For an especially rich filling, use:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- ½ cup mascarpone
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Beat the cream cheese and mascarpone together until smooth, then add the yogurt and powdered sugar.
Fold in whipped cream at the end.
This creates an incredibly smooth, luxurious cheesecake mousse.
Make-Ahead Instructions
The cheesecake cream and strawberry sauce can be prepared 1–2 days ahead.
For the best texture, assemble the bowls several hours before serving.
Keep the biscuit crumble separate until serving if you want it very crunchy.
If assembling completely in advance, put the crumble between layers rather than only on top. The cream will soften it slightly, giving you a texture similar to a traditional cheesecake crust.
Storage
Keep covered and refrigerated.
The assembled bowls are best eaten within 2 days.
Keep extra biscuit crumble in an airtight container at room temperature and add it immediately before serving.
Best Combination
For the ultimate strawberry cheesecake bowl, use:
buttery biscuit crumble + lemony cheesecake cream + macerated fresh strawberries + thick strawberry sauce + toasted biscuit crumbs + fresh berries on top.
The contrast between the crunchy crumbs, silky cheesecake filling, and juicy strawberries is what makes this simple dessert taste like a proper strawberry cheesecake in a bowl
