I’m a huge sucker for bite-sized or miniature food, especially for parties. There are a few different versions of stuffed strawberries floating around Pinterest, and I’ve been dying to try them. I’m in the States for a few weeks, and thought the Fourth of July would be the perfect opportunity to test a recipe.
It was so successful that we made another batch to bring to a graduation party a few days later! We dropped the platter off on the dessert table, and I went to grab my camera to take a photo for this post. By the time I got back, the strawberries were almost gone. People were putting 3 or 4 on their plates and talking about how addictive and delicious they were. So I apologize that there isn’t a photo of the whole platter of strawberries, but it’s only because they’re THAT GOOD.
These do require a bit of prep because you have to scoop out the insides of the strawberries, but at least there’s no baking involved. It’s nice to prepare a delicious dessert during the summer without turning on the oven! And you can make them ahead of time, too, which makes them the perfect party food. If you want people to rave about the dish you bring to your next potluck or barbecue, make these.
Strawberry Bites
filling recipe makes enough for about 100 strawberries
adapted from this Nutmeg Nanny recipe
For the filling:
1 – 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
2 c powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Strawberries (as many as you have the patience to prep)
1 graham cracker for every 15 strawberries
Combine filling ingredients in a medium bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a mixer until the filling is light and fluffy. Place in a piping bag (or use a plastic ziploc bag with the very tip of the corner cut off).
Slice off the tops of the strawberries and a small piece of the bottoms so they have a flat surface to stand on. Use a paring knife to create a cup out of the strawberry by removing some of the inside.
Put the graham crackers into a plastic ziploc bag. Crush them to make graham cracker crumbs. I used my fingers and was very deliberate, because I wanted them to be crunchy and have some larger pieces, rather than turn them into graham cracker-flavored sawdust (which is why I didn’t just buy the pre-made graham cracker crumbs; I prefer more texture than they provide). Place the crumbs on a dish or in a shallow bowl.
Pipe a generous amount of filling into each berry. They can be made ahead up to this point and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve them. Just dip the cream cheese tops into the graham cracker crumbs, place on a serving dish, and enjoy!
Just wanted to thank my mom for her help with the filling recipe for these. She’s the master of cream cheese frosting/filling/etc., and she helped perfect the ratios in this one. Thanks, Mom! You rock.