Dreamy No Bake Strawberry Shortcake Lush Dessert Recipe

How to make a quick and easy no bake strawberry shortcake lush recipe with vanilla wafers, fresh berries, creamy vanilla pudding and a fluffy whipped topping. Make this luscious, old fashioned layered dessert ahead of time to feed a crowd!

My family always makes classic strawberry shortcake every year once strawberry season rolls around. But I find myself making this no bake strawberry shortcake recipe way more often simply because it’s so much easier to make. All of the ingredients are layered in one pan, and by using vanilla wafers, I don’t even have to make biscuits or bake a crust.

There is something so refreshing about layers of cold vanilla pudding with freshly chunked and sliced strawberries and that cream cheese Dream Whip filling that makes the heart go pitter-patter. This strawberry shortcake lush is perfect for picnics, potlucks, family gatherings, 4th of July parties or even just as an easy homemade weeknight dessert!

Ingredients & Substitutions Notes

• Whipped Topping – I use Dream Whip whipped topping mix, but any whipped topping will work. Many of my readers have reported that Cool Whip and homemade whipped cream work just fine as well!
• Milk – I use whole milk, but 2% milk and even skim milk will also work.
• Vanilla Extract – I like to add a splash of vanilla to the Dream Whip for a little bit of extra flavor. Lately I’ve really been enjoying the flavor of this Mexican vanilla…
• Cream Cheese – You’ll need a block of full-fat cream cheese for the creamy filling layer in this strawberry lush cake.
• Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix – Vanilla pudding is the secret ingredient to this no bake strawberry shortcake. TIP: Make this a strawberry cheesecake lush by using cheesecake instant pudding mix!
• Vanilla Wafers – For the sake of ease, this recipe uses whole vanilla wafers as the bottom layer of this strawberry lush cake instead of a traditional crust, sort of like my no bake banana pudding.
• Strawberries – Last but not least, you’ll need plenty of fresh, sliced strawberries for this strawberry dessert.

Remember, all of the ingredient amounts you’ll need are in the printable recipe card below.

How to Make No Bake Strawberry Shortcake Lush Dessert

Before getting started, be sure to get out your cream cheese ahead of time, so it can soften. Then wash the strawberries. I like to wash mine in a vinegar and water solution before rinsing them off with water…

Once washed, use a small paring knife to hull your berries. You’ll need to slice a few for the filling, and then chunk a few for the topping.

How to Make the Whipped Topping

1. Start by adding the Dream Whip, milk, and vanilla to a large mixing bowl.
2. Whisk them together with an electric hand mixer, according to package directions, ’til the mixture begins to form soft peaks; it’ll take about 4 minutes. You can also use an electric stand mixer for this step.
3. In a separate bowl, whip up the cream cheese ’til soft and creamy. Then add both the cream cheese and the powdered sugar to the Dream Whip mixture.
4. Whisk everything together for about 3 to 5 minutes, or ’til smooth and creamy.

Mixing Up the Vanilla Pudding

1. Add both pudding mixes and the milk to another large bowl.
2. Whisk them together for about 2 minutes, and let sit for 3 to 5 more minutes. The pudding will continue to thicken up as it sets.

How to Assemble Your No Bake Strawberry Shortcake Layered Dessert

1. Now, you’re ready to layer the vanilla wafers on the bottom of a 9×13 baking dish.
2. Use a scraper spatula to spread the vanilla pudding over the vanilla wafers.
3. Next, add a layer of sliced strawberries on top of the pudding.
4. Finally, spread a final layer of Dream Whip on top of the strawberries.

Now you need to cover your strawberry lush cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.

When you’re ready to serve the dessert, sprinkle chunked strawberries and crushed ‘nilla wafers all over the top of the Dream Whip cream cheese layer. You can use a food processor, but I just toss them into a gallon bag, and then crush them into small pieces and fine crumbs with a rolling pin.

Then just scoop and serve! You can even add a dollop of whipped cream if you wish. Yum, yum, yum! I love the cool, creamy layers combined with fresh strawberries and vanilla wafers that moisten and almost taste like little bits of cake.

Recipe Variations

• Keep in mind that you can make this lush dessert with just about any fruit, including blueberries, cherries, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, bananas and more. And one of my favorite things about this is you simply just have to sprinkle the fruit onto the dessert. No need to cook or mix up a pie filling or do anything else.
• Instead of vanilla wafers, try making this recipe with graham crackers, golden Oreos, pound cake or Angel food cake.
• You can also make a regular pie crust for this no bake strawberry shortcake lush. I’m thinking a homemade graham cracker crust, my family’s favorite pecan nut crust, shortcut crust or even a regular single pie crust!

Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s

More No Bake Strawberry Desserts

• Strawberry Angel Food Cake Dessert
• Strawberry Jello Cool Whip Pie
• No Bake Strawberry Delight
• Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie
• Strawberry Rice Krispie Treats
• Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
• Strawberry Milkshake Recipe
• Strawberry Fluff

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