Equipment Needed
- Two oven racks
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls (large and medium)
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Spatula
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Ziplock bag and rolling pin for crushing cookies
Step-by-Step Instructions
First, we’ll transform ordinary tortillas into sweet, crisp taco shells. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack to catch any drips. Brush one side of each tortilla generously with the melted butter, then sprinkle evenly with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Drape each tortilla, sugared-side down, over two parallel oven rack bars, gently shaping it into a taco shell shape. They will look a little sad and droopy, but they will crisp up! Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching closely, until golden brown and crisp. Let them cool completely on the rack—they will harden as they cool. The smell of baking cinnamon sugar is divine.
While the shells cool, make your strawberry crunch topping. Place the Golden Oreos (creme filling and all) in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin into fine crumbs. You want a mix of fine powder and some small bits for texture. Pour the crumbs into a bowl and mix in the dry strawberry Jell-O powder. Drizzle in the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and mix with a fork until the mixture resembles wet sand and clumps together slightly. Set this colorful, fragrant topping aside.
Now, for the luxurious filling. In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides. In a separate chilled bowl, whip the cold heavy whipping cream on high speed until stiff peaks form. This means when you lift the beaters, the cream stands up in firm peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a spatula until no white streaks remain. Be gentle to keep the filling light and airy. This is your no-bake cheesecake filling—creamy, dreamy, and not too sweet.(See the next page below to continue…)