Cherry Delight

Rich whipping cream and cream cheese on a graham cracker crust and topped with cherry pie filling makes Cherry Delight, a classic dessert recipe that is always popular!

Cherry Delight Recipe

This no-bake dessert is great for potlucks, holiday meals and family parties. The bright red cherries in the pie filling really create a beautiful dish with great eye appeal.

Having a “delight” dessert with a creamy layer seems to be a requirement at potlucks in the midwest. Chocolate Delight is a family reunion favorite. Banana Cream Delight and Orange Delight are lighter treats that people also enjoy and request the recipe.

My mom has made similar baked Mini Cherry Cheesecakes that are made in cupcake liners to create individual portions. Just like our Big Batch Cherry Cobbler, the type of pie filling can be varied on Cherry Delight and any of these creamy bases to feature your favorite fruit flavor. Cherry tends to be the most popular, but there are plenty of options!

Graham Cracker Crust versus Flour Crust

We have a stock pile of community cookbooks so we’ve found variations of this cherry delight recipe. Since we take this job seriously we tested a recipe with a flour crust and this one with a graham cracker crust.

The graham cracker crust is a little sweeter and has a more complimentary flavor where the flour crust just seemed a bit more dull. Everyone in our family strongly prefers the graham cracker crust over a flour base layer.

Our family officially endorses a graham cracker crust as the best Cherry Delight recipe!

The Whipped Cream Layer

There are a few options for the creamy layer of this dessert. A packet of Dream Whip can be mixed up and incorporated into the cream cheese to make a lighter flavor.

I typically use whipped topping in desserts to save time. When I want to go all out on flavor and quality I’ll use whipping cream and make my own whipped cream in the mixer. This step takes about ten minutes, but the result is rich, pure and oh so memorable!

This dessert will taste great with any of these options, so use what you have or what’s easiest for you.

Cherry Delight Dessert

In a 9″ square baking dish stir graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar together. White sugar can be subsituted, but we prefer the flavor of brown sugar.

Pour melted butter over this mixture and toss lightly. Press into the bottom of the pan.

Beat cream cheese, confectioners sugar and vanilla together. In a seperate bowl beat whipping cream and add to cream cheese mixture. Mix well.

Spread over graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

Cherry pie filling can be poured over top of the pan or served in a small dish and spooned over the delight as each piece is served. Spooning the pie filling over each piece makes the prettiest presentation but may not be the most efficient way to serve a crowd.

The pictures above show each piece with cherry pie filling spooned over it individually. The pictures below show serving out of a pan that had pie filling poured over the entire thing before serving.

How to Make Cherry Delight

Using an ungreased 9 inch square baking dish pour graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar in the dish. Use a spoon to stir together.

In a microwave safe dish melt butter and pour over graham cracker mixture. Toss together and then press out into an even layer across the bottom of the pan.

I like to use two mixing bowls to keep this recipe moving. Beat the cream cheese in one bowl. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and mix well.

Keep a second bowl and beater in the refrigerator until ready to whip the cream. Using a cold bowl and beater one cup of whipping cream will be come whipped cream in 6 to 8 minutes over medium to medium high speed. Keep an eye on the mixer as the liquid or cream will splatter out at different points.

Add the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream and mix together.

Use a spatula to transfer this rich and creamy mixture into the dish. Spread evenly over top of graham cracker crust.

Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight for best results. Cherry pie filling may be spread on this mixture before or after refrigerating.

Serve chilled and enjoy!

Cherry Delight in a 9×13 Pan

This recipe fills a 9 inch square pan, but can be doubled to fill a 9 x 13 inch pan.

You may use two regular size cans of cherry pie filling or one large can depending on how much you like cherries.

Other Tips

• Brown sugar in the crust can be substituted for white sugar
• Whipping cream can be substituted for whipped topping or Dream Whip. whipping cream will offer the richest flavor profile
• Any flavor of pie filling can be used, but we find cherry to be the most popular
• Refrigerate at least 8 hours for a firm dessert that is easier to cut and serve
• Pie filling can be spooned over each individual piece for a beautiful presentation

Other Classic Dessert Recipes

• Blackberry Jam Cake is beautiful in a bundt cake and tastes great served with whipped cream and fresh blackberries.
• O’Joy Brownie Bars are made with a box of brownie mix and have a sweet layer of coconut filling making an easy Almond Joy like treat.
• Oreo Dirt Cake is a classic made of cream cheese, pudding, cool whip and Oreos!
• Black Forest Cherry Bundt Cake mixes a can of cherry pie filling into a chocolate cake mix to make a beautiful and easy bundt cake.

Printable Cherry Delight Recipe