Strawberry Shortcake Icebox Cake

Step 1

Divide the crushed vanilla sandwich cookies evenly (1 cup in each bowl) into two small mixing bowls.

Step 2

Add the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and 3 tablespoons of melted butter to one of the bowls of cookies. Stir to combine.

Step 3

To the second bowl of crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons of the melted butter until evenly coated.

Step 4

Combine the strawberry-coated crushed cookies with the plain crushed cookies to create a strawberry shortcake crumble topping. Set aside.

Step 5

In a large mixing bowl, add the very cold heavy whipping cream. Using a handheld mixer, starting on low, beat the heavy whipping cream for 1 minute. Gradually increase the speed on the mixer up to high, and beat the heavy cream for another 2 to 3 minutes or until it reaches soft peaks.

Step 6

Add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to beat the whipped cream until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to overwhip your heavy cream. Your whipped cream should be soft but able to hold its shape on the tip of your beaters. Set aside.

Step 7

In another large mixing bowl, add the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar. Beat on medium speed, using a handheld mixer, for 2 minutes until the cream cheese is fluffy and smooth.

Step 8

To the bowl of beaten cream cheese, add the strawberry preserves and strawberry extract and beat for an additional 2 to 3 minutes or until you have a nice creamy strawberry cream cheese mixture.

Step 9

Add half of the whipped cream to the bowl of the strawberry cream cheese mixture. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese until you have a light and fluffy strawberry cheesecake filling and you no longer see streaks of whipped cream. Reserve the other half of the whipped cream.

Step 10

To the bottom of a 9x13 glass baking dish, add half of the strawberry cream cheese filling to the bottom of the dish and spread it into an even layer.

Step 11

Using 42 to 44 vanilla wafers (about half the box), cover the bottom layer of the strawberry cream cheese filling so that you have a single solid layer of cookies.

Step 12

Layer the sliced fresh strawberries over the top of all the vanilla wafer cookies so that they are in a single layer.

Step 13

Spread the remaining strawberry cheesecake filling evenly over the fresh sliced strawberries being careful not to disturb the fresh strawberry layer. Top this layer with the remaining half box of the vanilla wafer cookies in a single layer.

Step 14

Spread the other half of the homemade whipped cream evenly over the top of the final layer of vanilla wafer cookies.

Step 15

Finally, top the homemade whipped cream with an even layer of the reserved strawberry shortcake cookie crumble.

Step 16

Chill the strawberry shortcake icebox cake in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours or up to overnight.