Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

YIELD: 16 servings

8 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel cheese), softened
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. lemon juice
½ tsp. grated lemon peel
16 (about 1 lb.) whole stemmed strawberries
8 graham cracker squares, finely crushed (about ⅔ cup)

1. In mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese, sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel until smooth and creamy; set aside. Using paring knife or small melon baller, partially hollow out top of strawberries to a depth of ¾ inch. Gently fill each with 1 tablespoon cream cheese mixture.

2. Roll tops into graham cracker crumbs. Arrange on serving platter.

For Chocolate cheesecake variation, melt ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels as package directs; stir into one 8-ounce package cream cheese (softened). Add ⅓ cup powdered sugar and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Proceed as recipe directs, rolling filled strawberries into finely crushed graham crackers or chocolate wafer cookes. Tip: To prepare recipe ahead of time, fill strawberries with cream cheese mixture; cover and refrigerate up to 6 hours. Roll in graham cracker crumbs just before serving.

Recipe and photo by California Strawberry Commission

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