4-Ingredient Slow Cooker Strawberry Cheesecake Dip is a warm, creamy dessert dip of cream cheese, sour cream, sugar and strawberry jam that tastes like strawberry cheesecake without the crust or the oven. It takes 10 minutes to start in the crockpot, serves eight, and stays warm for dipping all through a party.
How to make strawberry cheesecake dip: Add softened cream cheese chunks to a greased slow cooker, spoon strawberry jam over them and add sour cream and sugar. Stir lightly, cover and cook on low for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until smooth and hot. Serve warm with graham crackers, cookies or fruit.
Why You’ll Love It
- Four ingredients: cream cheese, strawberry jam, sour cream and sugar.
- Ten minutes of prep: the slow cooker melts it all together.
- Cheesecake flavor: tangy, sweet and creamy, with no crust to bake.
- Stays warm: keep it on the warm setting for a dessert table.
Ingredient Notes
Cream cheese: Sixteen ounces, softened and cut into chunks. Soft cream cheese melts evenly and smoothly; cold blocks take longer and can leave lumps. I leave it on the counter for about an hour before starting.
Strawberry jam: One cup. It gives the dip its strawberry flavor, pink color and sweetness. Jam with pieces of fruit leaves pretty red streaks through the dip.
Sour cream: One cup adds the tangy flavor of a baked cheesecake and loosens the cream cheese into a dippable texture.
Sugar: Half a cup of granulated sugar. Taste at the end and add more jam or sugar if you like it sweeter.
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Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into chunks
- 1 cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
How to Make Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
1. Grease. Lightly grease the inside of the slow cooker with butter or nonstick spray.
2. Add the ingredients. Add the cream cheese chunks to the slow cooker. Spoon the strawberry jam over the top, then add the sour cream and sugar.
3. Stir lightly. Stir gently to combine (it will look uneven at first), then cover.
4. Cook. Cook on LOW for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until smooth, hot and fully combined.
5. Taste. Taste and adjust the sweetness with more jam or sugar if you like.
6. Serve. Serve warm, or keep it on the WARM setting, stirring now and then to keep it smooth.
How to Keep the Dip Smooth
Cook it on low only. Cream cheese and sour cream can separate and turn grainy on high heat, while low heat melts them gently into a silky dip.
Stir regularly. In the first hour the cream cheese melts from the outside in, so stirring every half hour spreads the heat and works out the lumps. Once it is smooth, switch to warm.
For a pretty finish, save a few spoonfuls of the jam and swirl them over the top right before serving. I drag a butter knife through the jam in loops, so the dip looks like the top of a strawberry swirl cheesecake.
Desserts You Can Make in a Slow Cooker
A slow cooker is handy for desserts that need gentle, steady heat: warm dessert dips like this one, fudge, cobblers and dump cakes, bread pudding, and caramel sauces. They all benefit from low heat that melts and blends ingredients without scorching them, and the crock keeps them warm for serving.
Dessert dips are especially good for crowds, because the slow cooker doubles as the serving dish and nobody has to cut or plate anything. Set out a tray of dippers and let guests help themselves.
Setting Up a Dessert Dip Table
Give guests a mix of crunchy and fresh dippers. Graham crackers and vanilla wafers taste most like cheesecake crust, pretzels add a salty contrast, and fresh strawberries and apple slices keep it light. Arrange them around the slow cooker on a large board or tray, with small plates and napkins close by.
Brush apple and banana slices with a little lemon juice so they do not brown, and set out a small spoon for guests who would rather scoop the dip onto a plate than dip straight from the crock.
Tips for Success
Why is my dip lumpy?
The cream cheese was cold or the dip needed more stirring. Soften the cream cheese first and stir every half hour.
Why did it separate?
The heat was too high or it sat too long without stirring. Keep it on low or warm and stir it well to bring it back together.
Why is it too thick?
It thickens as it sits. Stir in a spoonful of milk or cream to loosen it.
Variations
- Other jams: use raspberry, blueberry or cherry jam.
- Vanilla: stir in a splash of vanilla extract at the end.
- Graham topping: sprinkle crushed graham crackers on top just before serving.
If you want a strawberry dessert to slice instead, Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream is a two-layer cake that serves 12.
If you like fruity cheesecake desserts, Banana Cream Cheesecake offers a baked option topped with fluffy banana cream and fresh banana slices.
Storage & Reheating
Do not leave the dip out for more than 2 hours unless it is kept hot on the warm setting. USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and use them within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on low on the stove, stirring often; never reheat leftovers in the slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
Serve it with graham crackers, vanilla wafers, shortbread cookies, pretzels, sliced apples, strawberries or banana slices. For more strawberry desserts, try no-bake strawberry crunch cheesecake, strawberry cream cheese icebox cake or slow cooker strawberry cobbler. For more sweet slow cooker treats, there is pot of gold caramel dip and strawberry margarita fudge, and for another cheesecake bake, cheesecake crescent roll casserole.
Frequently Asked Questions
What desserts can you make in a slow cooker?
Warm dessert dips, fudge, cobblers, dump cakes, bread pudding and caramel sauces all cook well with the gentle, steady heat of a slow cooker.
Can I serve it cold?
Yes. Chill it after cooking and it thickens into a spreadable, cheesecake-like dip.
Can I use light cream cheese?
Full-fat cream cheese gives the smoothest result. Light cream cheese works, but it is more likely to separate, so keep the heat low.
Final Notes
Soften the cream cheese, cook on low and stir every half hour. If you have a question or make it, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Slow Cooker Strawberry Cheesecake Dip
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Ingredients
- 16 oz cream cheese softened, cut into chunks
- 1 cup strawberry jam
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar adjust to taste
Instructions
- Lightly grease the inside of the slow cooker with butter or non-stick spray.
- Add cream cheese chunks to the slow cooker. Spoon strawberry jam over top, then add sour cream and sugar.
- Stir lightly to combine (mixture will look uneven at first), then cover with lid.
- Cook on LOW for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, until smooth, hot, and fully combined.
- Taste and adjust sweetness with additional jam or sugar if desired.
- Serve warm or keep on WARM setting, stirring occasionally to maintain a smooth texture.
Notes
Nutrition
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Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
