Description

Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake Tacos are a delightful twist on traditional cheesecake, featuring a creamy, luscious filling nestled in crispy baked flour tortilla shells. Coated with a sweet and tangy strawberry-Oreo crumb crust and topped with fresh, macerated strawberries, these tacos offer a perfect balance of texture and flavor. Easy to prepare and irresistibly delicious, they make an excellent dessert for any occasion.

Ingredients

Cheesecake Filling

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup heavy cream

Strawberry Crunch Coating

1 cup Golden Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1/4 cup freeze-dried strawberries, finely crushed
1/4 cup melted butter

Taco Shells

6 large flour tortillas
2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling

Strawberry Topping

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

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Instructions

Crush Oreo Cookies: Using a food processor, pulse the Golden Oreo cookies until finely crushed into crumbs. Alternatively, place cookies in a resealable bag and crush with a rolling pin, ensuring no large chunks remain.
Crush Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Similarly, crush the freeze-dried strawberries into a fine powder using a food processor or a rolling pin in a bag.
Mix Strawberry Crunch Coating: In a medium bowl, combine the crushed Oreo crumbs and freeze-dried strawberry powder, mixing thoroughly for even flavor and color distribution.
Add Butter to Crumbs: Pour melted butter over the crumb mixture and stir until uniformly moistened, resembling wet sand. Set aside.
Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a large bowl, beat softened cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add granulated sugar, continuing to beat until light and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract.
Incorporate Heavy Cream: Slowly add heavy cream, mixing on low speed until just combined. Cover and refrigerate the filling for at least 30 minutes.
Cut Tortilla Circles: Use a large cookie cutter or sharp knife to cut circles (6-8 inches diameter) from the flour tortillas.
Brush and Sugar the Tortillas: Brush both sides of each tortilla circle with melted butter, then sprinkle with granulated sugar on both sides.
Form Taco Shells: Gently fold each tortilla circle in half to create a taco shell shape, securing edges with toothpicks if necessary.
Bake Taco Shells: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Place taco shells on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
Cool Taco Shells: Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Fill Tacos: Spoon chilled cheesecake filling into each cooled taco shell.
Coat Tacos in Strawberry Crunch: Press the filled tacos gently into the strawberry crunch coating, ensuring the cheesecake filling is fully covered.
Chill Assembled Tacos: Place the tacos on a plate or tray and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Prepare Strawberry Topping: Wash, hull, and slice fresh strawberries. In a medium bowl, combine sliced strawberries with sugar and lemon juice, tossing gently to coat.
Macerate Strawberries: Let the strawberry mixture sit for at least 15 minutes to meld flavors.
Serve: Just before serving, spoon the macerated strawberry topping over the cheesecake tacos.

Notes

Ensure cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature for a smooth filling.
Freeze-dried strawberries add vibrant color and intense flavor, but you can substitute with finely chopped dehydrated strawberries if unavailable.
Using golden Oreos instead of regular Oreos provides a sweeter, more complementary flavor to the strawberries.
Be careful when folding tortillas to avoid cracking; warming tortillas slightly can improve flexibility.
To keep taco shells crispy, assemble them close to serving time and store refrigerated if not serving immediately.
To secure taco shapes during baking, you can place the folded tortillas over inverted muffin tins or use taco shell racks if available.