Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

One of my favorite things about spring is the fresh fruit… specifically strawberries!  Last spring/summer I saw these Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries on Pinterest and couldn’t wait to make them.  Our Valentine’s Afternoon Tea was the perfect occasion.

Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries are that wonderful combination of beauty, taste and ease!  They look like one of those fancy dishes you’d spend a lot of time getting just right, but they’re so easy!  It only took a few minutes to whip them up.  They’re fancy enough for a special occasion and can be made the day before, but simple enough for a quick weeknight treat for the family

Here’s the Recipe:  

*See tips below*

• About 24 large strawberries
• 8 oz package cream cheese – room temperature
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• pastry bag
• large star or piping tip

Wash strawberries and trim stems so they sit flat

Spread leaves apart and remove any brown ones

Allow to air dry or pat dry with a paper towel

Cut a deep “X” in each strawberry (from the tip down) making sure not to cut all the way through

Set aside

Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with a hand mixer until smooth

Place tip in pastry bag and fill with cream cheese mixture

*Easiest way to do this is place the bag in a tall glass folding opening of bag over mouth of glass.  Using a spatula, fill bag with mixture*

To fill strawberries, gently separate the sections 

Place the tip inside as far as it will go

Squeeze bag and slowly pull tip out as the strawberry fills 

Tips:

Leaves can be cut off if you prefer

If you don’t have a pastry bag or piping tip just fill a Ziploc bag with cream cheese mixture, cut off corner of bag and pipe mixture into strawberries 

This is linked up at Wake Up Wednesday Linky, Wednesday Roundup Link Party, Merry Monday Link Party, and Family Fun Friday.