4th of July Dessert – Rocket Cheesecake Push Pops

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Growing up, 4th of July always meant fireworks in the front yard at my grandpa’s house and a big barbecue.  My aunt always made mini cheesecakes in cupcake liners using a cookie, cheesecake mix, and cherry pie filling on top.  They were so simple and so yummy!  I thought that it would be fun to put a different spin on her mini cheesecakes and put them into a push pop.  Add a paper cone and some stars, and they look like cute red, white, and blue rockets.  A perfect 4th of July dessert!

My aunt always made the little cheesecakes with Vanilla Wafers (which Keebler also makes), but I thought I’d try something different and make them using Keebler Sandies Pecan Shortbread cookies.  I’m so happy with how they turned out.  The Sandies cookie crust layers were my favorite part!

I headed over to Foods Co. to pick up the Sandies Pecan Shortbread cookies.

4th of July Dessert  – Rocket Cheesecake Push Pops

Ingredients:

• 2 8-oz packages of cream cheese – softened
• 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups crushed Keebler Sandies Pecan Shortbread cookies (about 15 cookies)
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) melted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 can blueberry pie filling
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• push pop containers

1. Beat the cream cheese until light and fluffy.

2. Add the condensed milk, vanilla and lemon juice.  Stir until mixed.  Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, until it starts to thicken.

3. Put the Sandies cookies in a large plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin.  Pour into a separate bowl.

4. Add sugar and melted butter to the cookie crumbs and mix together.  Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

5. Press some of the cookie mixture into the bottom of a push pop container.  Layer with the cheesecake mixture and blueberry pie filling.  Add another layer of cookie and cheesecake mixture, and top with some cherry pie filling.  Now you’ve got a pretty red, white, and blue pattern.  Refrigerate until serving.

To make the push pops look like rockets, you’ll need some red or blue card stock and star wire garland. (If you can’t find garland, you can make due with something like this below.)

Use a cup to trace and cut out some circles on the card stock.  Cut a slit from one side into the center.  Curve the paper to make a cone and secure it with tape or glue.

Tape a cone on the top of each push pop and wrap some wire around the bottom to finish off the rockets.  Aren’t they adorable?

These were so tasty, and brought back some major nostalgia.  I’m SO ready for summer barbecues and fireworks now!  Head on over to the Keebler Facbook Page to keep up with the latest on your favorite Keebler cookies.