If you love strawberry crunch ice cream bars and cheesecake and, for some odd but delightful reason, tacos, you are in for a treat, my friend. I still remember the first time I cobbled these Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos together for a sleepover, mostly because I got powdered sugar all over my socks and the dog looked highly offended (don’t worry, he got a tiny taste of the crumbs). This recipe is part nostalgia, part "I-just-need-dessert-now," and a good sprinkle of my tendency not to follow instructions word-for-word. Honestly, that's more fun anyway.
Why You'll Love This Mashup
I make these when my family is in "dessert or mutiny" mode and no one's in the mood for waiting around for me to bake a whole cheesecake. My son says these taste like the ice cream truck and, I mean, who am I to argue with that? The best bit: they look fancier than they are, so people always think you’ve spent hours (spoiler: you definitely didn’t; unless you dropped the crunch all over the kitchen floor like I did once...). Also, they're portable! Sort of. Try not to eat these in your car unless you like vacuuming sprinkles from between the seats.
What You’ll Need (And Substitutes You Can Sneak In)
- 6 small flour tortillas (you can use corn, but they aren’t as sweet; actually, I sometimes use cinnamon pita if that’s what’s in the pantry)
- For the strawberry crunch:
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries (my cousin once used strawberry Pop Tarts—strange but not bad...)
- ½ cup Golden Oreos (or generic sandwich cookies, honestly)
- 2 tablespoon melted butter (salted or unsalted; at this point it won’t make or break the recipe)
- For the cheesecake filling:
- 225g cream cheese, softened (the brick kind—though I’ve been known to grab the tub if it’s all I have)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (sometimes I use a bit less—tastes less sweet but more tangy)
- ½ cup heavy cream, whipped (you could use Cool Whip in a pinch)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (my grandmother was suspicious of fake vanilla, but I’m not that fussy)
- Fresh strawberries for topping (or raspberries if you’re the type to color outside the lines)
How I Pull These Together (With The Occasional Blunder...)
- Start with the taco shells: Preheat your oven to about 375°F (190°C), but if your oven runs hot like mine, maybe nudge it down a smidge. Brush both sides of each tortilla with melted butter and dust with a bit of cinnamon sugar (if you want—sometimes I skip this and no one has complained). Drape them over the wire racks to form taco shapes. Bake 6-8 minutes or till lightly golden and a bit crispy. Don’t worry if some flop closed, they still taste grand. Let them cool. Pro tip? I’ve totally used an air fryer for this (about half the time and almost less mess).
- Get your strawberry crunch on: Crush the freeze-dried strawberries and cookies together in a food processor or just bash them in a zipped bag with a rolling pin if you fancy a bit of stress relief. Mix in the melted butter till it clumps in a nice, crumbly way. (Procrastination-friendly step—you can do this way ahead).
- Cheesecake time: Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together till smooth. Fold in the whipped cream and vanilla extract like you’re trying to keep it fluffy. (This is where I nearly always sneak a spoonful—no shame.) Chill if you’ve got time, but if not, soldier on.
- Assembly: Take a cooled taco, spoon (or, let’s be honest, pile in) some cheesecake filling, dunk or sprinkle on the strawberry crunch, and then add a couple fresh strawberry slices. Sometimes I make a huge mess here, but that’s half the fun, right?
What I’ve Learned Making These (Aka Real-World Notes)
- If your taco shells are a little chewy rather than crisp, just pop them back in the oven for a couple minutes, but watch them so they don’t turn into strawberry crunch biscotti (been there).
- Oh, and if you’re short on time, pre-made whipped cream works. Not as luxurious, but no one has called the dessert police on me yet.
- Sometimes the strawberry crunch refuses to stick to the filling. I just press it in with the back of a spoon. Persistence pays off.
How I’ve (Sometimes Accidentally) Swapped Things Up
- Chocolate Oreos instead of Golden? It’s good, but not my favourite—doesn’t quite scream “strawberry crunch.”
- Added a dash of lemon zest to the cheesecake filling once. Actually, that was pretty zingy. Would do again.
- Tried making mini versions for a party—looked adorable, but were a faff to fill. If you’ve got patience, go for it.
Don’t Have a Fancy Tool? No Biggie
I always say a stand mixer makes faster (and fluffier) cheesecake filling, but honestly, you can do it with a bowl and a sturdy spoon. I have, when my mixer mysteriously vanished form the counter (thanks, teenagers). A rolling pin is handy for crunch, but a wine bottle works too. Improvise!
How to Store (If These Even Last That Long)
They’ll keep in the fridge for a day, maybe two, especially if you store the shells and filling separately. But honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day—people come back for seconds, or sometimes breakfast. Yep, that happened. If they go soggy, you can toast the shell again for a couple minutes.
How I Like To Serve ‘Em
Big platter, all piled up, with extra strawberry crunch dumped in the middle for double-dipping. My kids like a squirt of canned whipped cream on top (the more chaotic, the better). Sometimes we do dessert taco night with other fillings, but this one disappears first—no contest. Oddly, my aunt puts a mint leaf on each one, purely to feel fancy for half a minute.
Lessons I Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips)
- Don’t fill the tacos till you’re about to eat them. I once did them ahead and came back to a sad, soggy mess. Never again.
- Let the shells cool fully, no matter how impatient you (or your crew) are. If you don’t, the filling melts and runs—ask me how I know.
- Oh, and actually, bash the cookies and strawberries separately before mixing; they crush much more evenly. Learned that after I broke my bag trying to smoosh them all at once.
Questions I've Actually Been Asked—And What I Tell People
- Can I use graham crackers instead of Oreos? Yep, totally! The crunch is just a bit different, but I love it for a change of pace.
- Does it have to be fresh strawberries on top? No, frozen works in a pinch (just thaw and drain them). Once I even used strawberry jam, but it got pretty sticky—honestly, I wouldn’t again.
- How long do they last? Not long in my house! But like I said, probably a day or two wrapped and chilled. The crunch will soften, but the flavor’s still there.
- Do I have to use an oven? You can try an air fryer (quicker, crispier) or, on a hot day, just use pre-made dessert tacos from the shop (found some on this blog). Not quite the same, but when you can’t face switching the oven on? Yep, that’s the way.
- Is there a vegan version? Haven’t tried it myself but a friend used coconut cream and vegan cream cheese, plus a plant-based cookie. She said it was fab, so worth a go. You could look up something similar on Minimalist Baker.
- Can I skip the sugar? Probably, especially if you like things less sweet, but I’d taste as you go to get the balance right.
Oh, here’s a funny thing—once, in the middle of making these, I found myself distracted by a squirrel picking a strawberry outside the window. True story. Maybe that’s why the first batch had a little extra crunch (read: burnt shells). So, if you’re ever wondering, can I multi-task while making these? The answer is... sort of, but you probably shouldn’t.
I think Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos might actually taste better on day two, if they last. But honestly, they disappear before I get a chance to test that theory more than once every few months. Let me know if you figure out a way to keep them around for longer!
Ingredients
- 6 small flour tortillas
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries, crushed
- 6 golden sandwich cookies, crushed
Instructions
-
1Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush both sides of the flour tortillas with melted butter. Mix granulated sugar and cinnamon together, and sprinkle over the tortillas.
-
2Drape the tortillas over oven-safe rods or fold and balance them between muffin tin cups to form taco shapes. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden and crisp. Let them cool to room temperature.
-
3In a bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined.
-
4In a separate bowl, whip heavy cream until stiff peaks form. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to make a light cheesecake filling.
-
5Crush freeze-dried strawberries and golden sandwich cookies together in a food processor or with a rolling pin to make the strawberry crunch topping.
-
6Fill each taco shell with cheesecake filling. Generously sprinkle the top with strawberry crunch. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!