Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos (Printable Version)
Crispy taco shells with creamy cheesecake filling and crunchy strawberry cookie topping for parties.
# What You Need:
→ Cinnamon Sugar Taco Shells
01 - 8 small flour tortillas
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Cheesecake Filling
05 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened to room temperature
06 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
→ Strawberry Crunch Topping
09 - 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
10 - 10 golden sandwich cookies (such as Golden Oreos)
→ Fresh Strawberry Sauce
11 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper if desired.
02 - Using a 3-inch round cutter, cut circles from each flour tortilla. Brush both sides of each circle generously with melted butter. Combine the granulated sugar and ground cinnamon in a shallow dish, then dip each buttered tortilla circle into the mixture, coating both sides evenly. Drape the coated circles over the bars of an oven rack or a taco molding rack to create the taco shell shape. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
03 - Add the freeze-dried strawberries and golden sandwich cookies to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture reaches a crumbly, coarse texture — avoid over-processing into a fine powder. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
04 - In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy cream to stiff peaks using clean beaters. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in three additions, folding until just fully incorporated and no white streaks remain.
05 - Combine the diced fresh strawberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl. Toss gently to coat and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 10 minutes until the strawberries release their juices and form a light syrup.
06 - Transfer the cheesecake filling to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip, or use a spoon. Pipe or spoon a generous amount of filling into each cooled taco shell. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping liberally over the exposed filling. Drizzle with the fresh strawberry sauce as desired.
07 - Serve the cheesecake tacos immediately for a soft, creamy texture, or refrigerate for 1 hour to allow the filling to set firmly for easier handling. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast of a crisp cinnamon sugar shell against cold creamy cheesecake filling is genuinely addictive.
- Everything can be prepped ahead so you are not stressed when guests arrive.
- Freeze dried strawberries give you that concentrated berry flavor without making anything soggy.
02 -
- If the tortilla circles are too large they will sag and break instead of holding their taco shape.
- Do not overfill the shells or the filling squishes out on the first bite and the crunch topping ends up on the plate.
03 -
- Dip the top edges of the baked shells in melted white chocolate and let it set for an extra layer of flavor and a beautiful presentation.
- Cold cream and a cold bowl are nonnegotiable for getting stiff whipped cream peaks quickly.