Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos (Printable version)
Crispy taco shells filled with creamy cheesecake mousse and topped with crunchy strawberry crumble.
# What you need:
→ Taco Shells
01 - 8 small flour tortillas
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
03 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Cheesecake Filling
05 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
06 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Strawberry Crunch Topping
09 - 1 cup freeze-dried strawberries
10 - 2 cups crispy rice cereal
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
→ Fresh Topping
13 - 1 cup fresh strawberries, diced
# How To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Brush both sides of each flour tortilla with melted butter. Combine granulated sugar and ground cinnamon, then sprinkle evenly over the tortillas. Drape each tortilla over the bars of the oven rack to form a taco shell shape. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove and let cool completely.
02 - In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture in two additions until fully incorporated. Transfer the filling to a piping bag or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
03 - Add the freeze-dried strawberries and crispy rice cereal to a food processor. Pulse several times until a coarse crumb forms. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the melted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand.
04 - Pipe or spoon the cheesecake filling generously into each cooled taco shell. Sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the filling, pressing gently so it adheres. Top with fresh diced strawberries.
05 - Serve immediately for the best texture and crunch. Assemble just before serving to keep the taco shells crisp.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The strawberry crunch topping is genuinely hard to stop eating by the handful, and it comes together in under two minutes.
- Everything can be prepped ahead and assembled right before serving, which means zero stress when guests arrive.
02 -
- Assemble these right before serving because the crunch topping softens quickly once it meets the moist filling.
- If you drape the tortillas too far apart on the rack they will flatten out instead of holding a taco curve, so keep them close together.
03 -
- Freeze the filled tacos for ten minutes before adding the crunch topping and they hold their shape beautifully on a warm day.
- Crush a few extra strawberry pieces coarsely by hand and fold them into the crunch for pops of bright color and texture.