Easy Dubai Chocolate Strawberry Cups (Printable)

Layers of chocolate biscuit, creamy filling, and fresh strawberries in chilled cup servings.

# What you'll need:

→ Base

01 - 5.3 oz chocolate digestive biscuits or chocolate graham crackers, crushed
02 - 1.76 oz unsalted butter, melted

→ Cheesecake Filling

03 - 8.8 oz cream cheese, softened
04 - 2.8 oz powdered sugar
05 - 6.76 fl oz heavy cream, cold
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Strawberry Layer

07 - 7 oz fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
08 - 1 tablespoon sugar

→ Chocolate Ganache

09 - 2.8 oz dark chocolate, chopped
10 - 2.7 fl oz heavy cream

→ Garnish

11 - 6 whole strawberries
12 - Dark chocolate shavings
13 - Crushed pistachios

# How to make it:

01 - In a mixing bowl, combine crushed chocolate biscuits with melted butter until thoroughly blended. Distribute the mixture evenly among 6 serving cups, pressing gently to form a compact base layer.
02 - Beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. In a separate bowl, whip cold heavy cream with vanilla extract to soft peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture until fully incorporated.
03 - Spoon or pipe the cheesecake filling over the biscuit bases in each cup, smoothing the tops to create an even layer.
04 - Toss sliced strawberries with sugar and let stand for 10 minutes to release their juices. Distribute the macerated strawberries evenly over the cheesecake filling in each cup.
05 - Heat heavy cream until it just begins to simmer. Pour the hot cream over chopped dark chocolate and allow to sit for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and glossy, then cool slightly. Spoon a thin layer of ganache over the strawberries in each cup.
06 - Refrigerate the cups for a minimum of 2 hours until the layers are fully set and chilled.
07 - Top each cup with a whole strawberry, dark chocolate shavings, and crushed pistachios if desired before serving.

# Expert suggestions:

01 -
  • No oven needed, which means your kitchen stays cool and your stress level even cooler.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy in simple glasses, making you feel like a pastry chef without the pressure.
  • Everything can be prepped ahead, so you're free to relax before guests arrive.
02 -
  • Softening the cream cheese matters more than you think—rock-hard cream cheese won't blend properly no matter how long you beat it.
  • Don't skip the maceration step for strawberries; those few minutes of sitting with sugar makes the difference between watery fruit and concentrated sweetness.
03 -
  • Keep your heavy cream cold until the moment you whip it—warm cream won't reach soft peaks no matter how long you beat it.
  • If your ganache is too thick after cooling, warm it slightly and pour quickly; if it's too thin, let it rest a few more minutes before spooning.
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