Cherry Yum Yum is a luscious lasagna-style dessert with creamy layers of no-bake cheesecake and cherry pie filling on a sweet graham cracker crust. A delightful southern treat bursting with fruity flavor.
What Is Cherry Yum Yum
Our recipe for Cherry Yum Yum is a quick and easy-to-make homemade hybrid between a cherry pie and a cheesecake, but prepared like a layered dessert lasagna!
A buttery graham cracker crust is piled high with 2 layers of a no bake cream cheese and whipped cream mixture with cherry pie filling in the middle, then sprinkled with plenty of pecan pieces to create the most delicious cherry Yum Yum southern dessert.
The classic no bake cherry cream cheese filling is often prepared with Dream Whip rather than Cool Whip, but I prefer to use Cool Whip in this recipe because it’s pre-whipped and ready to use. (Dream Whip has to be mixed with milk and vanilla then whipped and made into a topping.)
When you can’t decide between a slice of cheesecake or a piece of cherry pie, this cherry Yum Yum dessert recipe checks all the boxes because it combines the crunchy texture of a baked crust with the rich and creamy decadence of a cherry cream cheese dessert.
Why We Love Cherry Yum Yum With Cool Whip
- Quick and easy to make in minutes.
- Uses a handful of simple ingredients.
- Creamy cool dessert full of light and fluffy layers arranged over a crunchy grahm cracker crumb crust.
- Delicious contrast of sweet and tart combined with creamy and crunchy textures.
- Perfect for potlucks, summer parties, holidays, and warm weather gatherings.
Cherry Yum Yum Ingredients
- Graham crackers
- Chopped pecans
- Granulated sugar
- Salted sweet cream butter
- Softened cream cheese
- Whipped topping, Cool Whip, or homemade whipped cream
- Powdered sugar
- Pure vanilla extract
- Cherry pie filling
Substitutions and Additions
- Pick Your Pie Filling Flavors: Feel free to try this recipe with your other favorite pie filling flavors. Apple, strawberry, peach, blackberry, and blueberry pie filling all work well in this dessert.
- Create Your Crust: While graham crackers are standard in this southern Yum Yum dessert recipe, you can substitute Lorna Doone cookies, chessman cookies, shortbread biscuits, Golden Oreos, or nilla wafer cookies if you prefer. You can also use gluten-free cookies to make this a gluten free dessert.
- Prepare Without Pecans: You can substitute chopped walnuts, pistachios, almonds, or cashews the for chopped pecans.
Recommended Tools
- 9×13 baking dish
- Nonstick cooking spray
- Mixing bowl
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
How to Make Cherry Yum Yum
- Create The Crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, and sugar. Stir in the melted butter to coat the crumbs. Press the crumb mixture into the baking dish and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 minutes. Cool completely before adding the layers.
- Make The Cheesecake Mixture: Beat the cream cheese for until smooth. Add 1 container of whipped topping, powdered sugar, and vanilla beat until smooth.
- Assemble: Spread the cream cheese mixture over the cooled crust. Spread the cherry pie filling over the cream cheese layer and the other container of whipped topping over the cherry pie filling. Sprinkle with pecans on top.
- Chill: Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
- Serve: Just before serving, slice into 3 slices x 5 slices. Enjoy!
Tips For Making Cherry Yum Yum
- Be sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to ensure there are no lumps in the cream cheese filling.
- You can purchase store-bought graham cracker crumbs or crush your own. Simply pulse 14 full-size graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground, or place them in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- You can substitute graham cracker crumbs for the finely chopped pecan garnish.
- Be sure to chill your cherry dessert in the fridge for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving so it has enough time to set up properly. Overnight is even better!
How to Store Cherry Yum Yum
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
More Easy Dessert Lasagna Recipes
Other Easy Cherry Recipes
- Cherry Cheesecake Egg Rolls
- Cherry Chip Cheesecake Bites
- Cherry Garcia Ice Cream
- Cherry Bars
- Punch Bowl Cake
- Cherry Cheesecake Brownie
Cherry Yum Yum
Serves — 15
Cherry Yum Yum has thick, creamy layers of no-bake cheesecake, cherry pie filling, and a graham cracker crust. A fruity and refreshing dessert!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Chill Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 23 minutes
Ingredients
Graham Cracker Crust
- 2 cups (14 full-size crackers) of graham cracker crumbs
- ½ cup finely chopped pecans
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup salted sweet cream butter melted and cooled
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounce package of cream cheese softened
- 16 ounce containers of whipped topping thawed
- 1¼ cups of powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 42 ounces (2 21-ounce) cans of cherry pie filling
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped pecans garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set it aside.
- Add the graham cracker crumbs, chopped pecans, and granulated sugar to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
- Add the melted butter and stir to coat the graham cracker crumb mixture completely.
- Press into the prepared baking dish. Bake for 8 minutes. Allow the crust to cool completely.
- Using either a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the cream cheese for 1-1½ minutes until smooth.
- Add 1 of the 8-ounce containers of thawed whipped topping, powdered sugar, and vanilla for 1½-2 minutes until smooth.
- Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the cooled crust.
- Evenly spread both cans of cherry pie filling over the cream cheese layer.
- Evenly spread the remaining container of thawed whipped topping over the cherry pie filling layer. Sprinkle the 3 tablespoons of finely chopped pecans over the whipped topping layer. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours. Just before serving, slice into 3 slices x 5 slices.
Jenn’s Notes
Storage:
- To Store: Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Be sure the cream cheese is softened to room temperature to ensure there are no lumps in the cream cheese filling.
- You can purchase store-bought graham cracker crumbs or crush your own. Simply pulse 14 full-size graham crackers in a food processor until finely ground, or place them in a ziploc bag and crush with a rolling pin.
- You can substitute graham cracker crumbs for the finely chopped pecan garnish.
- Be sure to chill your cherry dessert in the fridge for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving so it has enough time to set up properly. Overnight is even better!
Nutrition Info
Calories: 430kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 206mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 580IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 1mg
Came out great. Great summer dessert.
can’t wait to try it. Sounds delicious. Cherries got me.