EASY 3-INGREDIENT STRAWBERRY DIP

Looking for something simple to whip up? Try this incredibly easy 3-ingredient strawberry dip.

So easy and delicious.

WHY THIS DIP ALWAYS DISAPPEARS

• Takes about 5 minutes to prepare
• Great way to get your kids to eat fruit
• Only three ingredients
• Perfect for parties, potlucks or just because

I’ve been making this recipe for years and years and years. If you’re a parent of little ones who are hesitant to eat fruit, you NEED to try this recipe.

They will BEG for fruit if there’s a sweet, fluffy, delicious dip involved.

WHY A DIP THAT’S THREE INGREDIENTS TASTES LIKE CHEESECAKE

Trust me, strawberry cheesecake yogurt + cheesecake flavored Jell-O tastes EXACTLY like strawberry cheesecake. Here’s a closer look at each of the ingredients, why they’re in the recipe, and what each one brings to the party.

THREE INGREDIENTS, EACH ONE DOING REAL WORK

1 OZ PACKAGE FAT-FREE, SUGAR-FREE CHEESECAKE JELL-O GELATIN – do NOT make the gelatin. Add the dry, unmade gelatin packet to the other ingredients.

This adds a slight set to the dip and provides flavor. Substituting vanilla Jell-O is NOT going to give you the same depth of flavor.

1 TUB COOL WHIP (THAWED) – thawed completely so that it folds in more easily. Folded in last to maintain lightness.

Adds body to the recipe and gives the dip that fluffy, mousse-y texture.

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE YOGURT – the star of the dip! This is where we’re getting our strawberry flavor and cheesecake tang.

Anderson Erickson makes my fave in the Midwest. You can find them at most Midwestern grocery stores.

Feel free to use any brand of strawberry cheesecake yogurt.

PREP & SERVE

Combine the yogurt and unmade Jell-O gelatin in a bowl. Fold in Cool Whip last.

Refrigerate for an hour before serving, as the dip will be a little firmer and the flavors will meld together. Serve with strawberries and enjoy.

I’m pretty sure this recipe doesn’t need any modifications, since it’s already PERFECT as-is. That said, hypothetically speaking, it is quite possible to eat this recipe by the spoonful so if you want to take it over-the-top decadent, add some extra strawberries into the mix.

You’ll thank me later.

3-INGREDIENT STRAWBERRY DIP

• 1 CONTAINER STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE YOGURT
• CHEESECAKE JELL-O
• COOL WHIP
• OPTIONAL: PINK OR RED FOOD COLORING

HOW TO MAKE 3-INGREDIENT STRAWBERRY DIP

STEP 1: MIX THE JELL-O AND YOGURT

Dump the dry Jell-O powder into the yogurt and stir well until the Jell-O is dissolved. This will be pretty thick, and no dry clumps should remain.

It should be more of a mousse-y texture and be pretty light in color.

STEP 2: ADD FOOD COLORING (OPTIONAL)

If you’re going to add food coloring, it’s easier to do it here. Add a few drops and stir.

STEP 3: FOLD IN THE COOL WHIP

Add the Cool Whip and fold together until no more white streaks show. Do not beat or stir, as that will deflate it and it’ll end up much thinner than it should be.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits the better.

If possible, make it the night before to allow for best flavor and consistency.

WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU START

The cheesecake Jell-O is what gives this dip its cheesecake flavor – you can’t just use a strawberry Jell-O and get the same results. You could try to use a vanilla Jell-O, but it probably won’t turn out the same.

You need to use strawberry cheesecake yogurt for this – you could use plain cheesecake yogurt, or strawberry yogurt, but it’ll turn out different. Light Cool Whip can be used if desired.

Using Greek yogurt makes this too thick for my liking. This is Erica’s recipe, I’m just passing it along.

WHAT WE PUT IT OUT WITH

Honestly, you can serve this with pretty much any kind of fruit. We usually serve this with fresh fruit.

Tips for Best Results

• Defrost Cool Whip in the refrigerator overnight if necessary. Adding it in partially frozen can create clumps that may not always melt.
• Fold in Cool Whip slowly and gently. Do not stir or beat together or the dip will be thinner than desired.
• Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. The longer it sits the better – ideally, this should be made ahead of time.
• Adding food coloring (optional) will make the dip a brighter pink. It does not add any additional flavor.
• Adding food coloring is easiest before adding the Cool Whip.
• Do not use Greek Yogurt – it makes the dip too thick.
• Cheesecake Jell-O and strawberry cheesecake yogurt are crucial – other types of Jell-O or yogurt will not result in the same flavor.
• You can use Light Cool Whip if desired.

HOW LONG IT KEEPS AND ONE THING NOT TO DO

This dip keeps in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days. It may deflate a bit but will still be fluffy and totally fine.

It does not do well once frozen due to the Cool Whip not freezing/thawing well.

HOW TO MAKE IT AHEAD OF TIME

You can make it a day ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to serve. In fact, it tastes even better overnight.

Take it out of the fridge just before serving, giving it a gentle stir if deflated.

WHY STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE YOGURT?

The secret to getting this dip to taste like it’s supposed to is the yogurt. You’ll want to get the strawberry cheesecake flavor, not just plain strawberry, specifically either Yoplait or Anderson Erickson brand.

It’s worth seeking out for this recipe.

THREE WAYS TO CHANGE IT UP

You can use any flavor of Jell-O mixed with a similar but plain flavored yogurt:

• Try mixing vanilla or even lemon with vanilla yogurt for a lighter, lemon cheesecake dip!
• Orange goes well with peach. The sky’s the limit here.

If you add an extra kick of cheesecake flavor…

Beat together 4 oz cream cheese, softened, with the yogurt and Jell-O above before mixing with the Cool Whip. The dip will be a little less fluffy, closer in consistency to cheesecake, denser but also richer and more cheesecake-y.

Substituting whipped cream for Cool Whip…

You can, but it won’t keep as long, so serve right away the same day it’s made.

WHAT GOES WELL FOR DIPPING INTO CHEESECAKE DIP?

Strawberries are an obvious choice for this one but you could use any of the following as well:

• apple slices, the sweet-tart of the apple goes well with this
• chunks of pineapple, tropical and cheesecake equals delicious
• grapes – party-friendly for dipping
• sliced bananas, rich and creamy
• graham cracker squares, the whole cheesecake experience

A FEW THINGS WORTH HAVING FOR THIS RECIPE

You’re going to need Cool Whip, a full-size tub, not the little cans

The other essential is strawberry cheesecake yogurt, not just strawberry, the cheesecake flavor (see above).

This dip is SO easy and perfect for bringing along to showers, parties, holidays, etc.! Everyone loves it.

STRAWBERRY DIP FAQ

CAN I USE REGULAR JELL-O INSTEAD OF SUGAR-FREE?

You can use either. However, I like to use the sugar-free Jell-O because the mixture of the yogurt and the Cool Whip is quite sweet.

It also seems to set up a tad better.

CAN I USE ANOTHER FLAVOR PUDDING/JELL-O BESIDES CHEESECAKE?

I haven’t tried any other flavors. However, this recipe calls for the cheesecake flavor.

CAN I USE GREEK YOGURT?

I haven’t used Greek yogurt because I think that would make the dip too thick and sour. This recipe calls for regular yogurt in order to make it nice and fluffy and light.

If you decide to use Greek yogurt, I would use strawberry cheesecake and add more Cool Whip to make sure it’s not too thick.

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO PRESENT IT?

Honestly, all you really need is a bowl and some fresh strawberries. However, I like to go with a simple, white, ceramic bowl to make it seem more elegant.

It’s an easy way to make it seem fancy. Then, just surround it with strawberries.

It’s a real crowd pleaser at parties.

HOW LONG DOES IT KEEP AT A PARTY (UNREFRIGERATED)?

In my opinion, I’d say about 2 hours tops. After that, I find that the dip doesn’t have the best consistency.

Also, in the summertime, if you’re outside, I’d set it on top of another larger bowl with ice. That’ll help to keep the dip’s consistency.

CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE?

You can double this recipe and it’ll serve about 20-25 people, approximately. Just keep in mind you’ll need a larger bowl to combine the ingredients.

Also, right before you’re ready to serve it, give it a stir since some of it might separate.

OTHER DESSERTS THAT GO FAST

• Crockpot Lava Cake
• Oreo Truffles
• Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
• Crunchy Peanut Butter Balls

DRY THE STRAWBERRIES OR THE DIP SLIDES OFF

After washing strawberries, be sure and dry them well on a towel before putting them on the tray. Otherwise, when they are dipped, the dip will come right off in a sheet.

Leaving the green tops on the berries gives them a convenient handle and looks better on the tray, too.

INDIVIDUAL DIP CUPS FOR KID PARTIES

For a kid’s party, I’d put some of this dip in a bunch of small clear cups, since this recipe makes about 12, and put some pretzels and a couple of berries in each one. Those cute little snack cups can be made ahead of time, about an hour beforehand, and kept in the fridge.

THE DESSERT THAT MATCHES EVERY PINK OCCASION

Occasions requiring a pink dessert, such as a Valentine’s Day party or Galentine’s Day brunch, may be aided by adding some pink food coloring to the dip. It’s easy to match any hue with a recipe with only three ingredients.

Baby showers are another occasion for a pink berry dip.

WHEN THERE’S DIP LEFT BUT NO FRUIT

Use the leftover dip on top of waffles or over fruit salad, or make sandwiches with it on graham crackers. Those are super-popular frozen, and even my teenagers inhale them faster than I can make them.

Freeze them on a cookie sheet for an hour and they’re just like an ice cream sandwich.

I’m not gonna stand up and say that this is a health food recipe. It is a dessert, after all.

However, since this recipe is using sugar-free gelatin and fruit dip recipes usually call for cream cheese, it is a little on the lighter side. Eaten in moderation, such as a couple of tablespoons with some fresh berries, and before the graham cracker sandwiches enter the picture, it’s a pretty good choice for a party!