Strawberry Delight

Remember when recipe names were mysterious? The cooks of decades past had fun whipping up dishes like lemon icebox pie, bean surprise and tuna wiggle! Now we have recipes like glazed strawberry cookies with titles that certainly make sense but leave nothing to the imagination. I decided to go in search of a “mysterious” recipe to put to the test.

Looking through a vintage cookbook, the recipe name that caught my eye sounded delicious, though vague: strawberry delight.

What is strawberry delight?

It turns out there are many vintage recipes out there for strawberry delight. Though most are creamy and delightful, no two are exactly alike. Possible ingredients for a strawberry delight recipe include instant pudding, gelatin, sweetened condensed milk, nuts, fruit cocktail and more.

I decided to create my own recipe for strawberry delight. It is sweet but not too sweet, has a lovely fluffy texture and boasts a beautiful pink color. A graham cracker base provides a crunch beneath all that creamy filling. And, of course, it has lots of strawberry-pineapple flavor.

Ingredients for Strawberry Delight

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• Graham crackers: You’ll need 18 whole graham crackers to make the graham cracker crust.
• Butter: We mix one stick melted butter with the graham cracker crumbs to form the mixture that will become the yummy, crunchy graham cracker crust.
• Crushed pineapple: Pour the crushed pineapple into a mesh strainer to strain off the excess juice.
• Strawberry pie filling: Grocery stores normally carry pie fillings in the baking aisle. My go-to brand is Lucky Leaf.
• Frozen strawberries: Thaw your strawberries and give them a good chop before mixing them into the no-bake strawberry delight.
• Mini marshmallows: If you can’t find mini marshmallows, purchase regular sized ones, chop them up and measure out 4 cups.
• Frozen whipped topping: Buy a frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip) and thaw it so it mixes better with the other ingredients.

Directions

Step 1: Make the crust

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Blitz the graham crackers in a food processor to grind them into crumbs. With the machine running, pour the melted butter through the chute until the graham cracker crumbs have the consistency of wet sand.

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Spoon the buttery crumb mixture into the bottom of a 13×9-inch baking dish. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom of the dish. Chill the crust in the fridge until it’s set, about 15 minutes.

Step 2: Blend the fruit and marshmallows

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Place the pineapple, strawberry pie filling and strawberries into a large mixing bowl and stir them together. Pour in the mini marshmallows and stir until they’re completely coated in fruit.

Step 3: Fold in the whipped topping

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Spoon the thawed whipped topping into the bowl, and use a spoon or rubber spatula to gently fold the whipped topping into the fruit until everything’s combined and looks nice and pink.

Editor’s Tip: See our guide on how to fold ingredients if you need a tutorial.

Step 4: Spoon the filling into the pan

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Scoop the filling over the chilled graham cracker crust and gently smooth it to evenly cover the crust. Cover the pan tightly with storage wrap and chill the dessert in the fridge until it’s set, about one hour. If desired, top with additional whipped topping and halved fresh strawberries.

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Strawberry Delight Variations

• Thicken the whipped topping: Cream cheese would be a rich addition to the whipped topping mixture. Soften 4 ounces cream cheese and beat it into the thawed whipped topping before folding.
• Swap in another fruit for the strawberries: Try swapping in blueberry or peach flavors for the strawberry pie filling and the frozen strawberries. If you’re more of a mango person, you can also try the refreshing no-bake mango delight dessert.
• Try a different crust: If you don’t have graham crackers on hand, try crushed Nilla wafers instead. If you don’t mind a little baking, a pecan shortbread crust would be complementary with the flavors in the filling as well.
• Make a layered dessert: When doing Step 2, do not add the frozen strawberries, but combine the pineapple, strawberry pie filling and marshmallows. Then, spoon that mixture onto the crust and spread a layer of the whipped topping on top. Finish the strawberry delight with delicately placed frozen strawberries for a beautiful and colorful topper. When you make a layered no-bake strawberry delight recipe, the side profile of each slice will be especially striking.

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How to Store Strawberry Delight

If you have strawberry delight leftovers, wrap the pan tightly with storage wrap. The dessert can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Can you freeze strawberry delight?

Yes, you can freeze strawberry delight. Wrap the pan tightly in storage wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It can be kept in the freezer for up to three months. As with other icebox cake recipes, thaw this recipe for strawberry delight overnight in the fridge before you plan to serve it.

Strawberry Delight Tips

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How do I serve strawberry delight?

Use a sharp knife to slice through the fluffy filling and cut through the graham cracker crust. Use a flexible spatula to maneuver slices out of the pan. The first piece is always the messiest! Then serve the strawberry delight recipe immediately.

Can I use a different-sized pan?

Absolutely! Use two 9-inch round pans or two 8-inch square pans in place of the 13×9-inch pan.