Name: Blueberry Delight with Almond Graham Cracker Crust (9x13 Pan)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 138 min
Ingredients: Graham crackers (9 full crackers); 1/2 Cup sliced almonds; 1/4 Cup Sugar; 8 Tablespoon Butter (melted); 2 8 Ounces Cream Cheese (softened); 2 Tablespoon Milk; zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon); 1 Cup Powdered Sugar; 2 21 oz cans blueberry pie filling; 16 Ounces non-dairy whipped topping (thawed)

Blueberry delight is a creamy, cool, layered dessert made with an almond graham cracker crust, sweetened cream cheese, blueberry pie filling, and whipped topping. You may know it as blueberry yum yum, blueberry dream, or blueberry lush.

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My blueberry delight recipe adds sliced almonds to the crust and lemon zest to the cream cheese layer; both keep all that sweetness in check. It takes about 20 minutes of hands-on time, then chills in the fridge until it slices into clean squares.

This is the same family of make-ahead pan desserts as my Heaven on Earth cake, just with a crunchy crust instead of angel food cake. When I want blueberries in a flaky crust instead, I make my classic blueberry pie.

Blueberry Delight Ingredients

Every layer here is simple, but a few ingredient choices decide whether your squares slice clean or slump on the plate. You will find the full list with measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredients for this Blueberry Delight Recipe are laid out on a wooden table, including confectioners sugar, butter, whipped topping, blueberry pie filling, cream cheese, heavy cream, sliced almonds, a lemon, granulated sugar, and graham crackers.

Graham crackers and sliced almonds: Nine full sheets of graham crackers gives you about 1 ½ cups of crumbs. The almonds toast during the short bake, so the crust tastes nutty and stays crisp under the creamy layers.
Cream cheese: Use full-fat blocks, not the spreadable tub; tub cream cheese has more water and air whipped in, and the layer will not firm up the same way. Let it sit on the counter about 1 hour so it gives easily when you press it.
Lemon zest: The zest of 1 lemon is all you need. Grate only the yellow part; the white pith underneath is bitter.
Whipped topping: Thaw it in the refrigerator, not the microwave, so it stays fluffy. Cool Whip holds its shape for days in the fridge, which is exactly why it works in a make-ahead dessert.
Blueberry pie filling: Two 21-ounce cans cover a 9x13 pan in a thick, even layer. The filling is already thickened, so it sets up cleanly as it chills.

Recipe Card?

To find the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions CLICK HERE to go to the recipe card.

Substitutions

This dessert is forgiving, but not every swap behaves the same once it sits in the fridge overnight. Here is what to expect.

Pecans or walnuts instead of almonds: Swap them in at the same amount. Pecans give you the flavor of the old-fashioned blueberry delight with a pecan crust; that version usually uses a baked shortbread-style crust of flour, butter, and chopped pecans instead of graham crackers.

A cookie crust instead of graham crackers: Nilla wafers, butter shortbread cookies, or leftover almond biscotti all make a good crust. These cookies are sweeter than graham crackers, so taste the crumbs before you add all of the sugar.

Homemade whipped cream instead of Cool Whip: You will need about 4 cups, sweetened to your liking. Plain whipped cream starts to weep and deflate within a day, so stabilize it or plan to serve the dessert within 24 hours.

Got strawberries in the freezer instead? I pulled together my favorite things to do with frozen strawberries for just that situation.

How to Make Blueberry Delight

Most of the work here is patience; the crust has to cool and the finished pan has to chill. Here is what each step should look like when you get it right.

A slice of cheesecake with a graham cracker crust and blueberry topping sits on a white plate beside a yellow napkin and a fork, making this scene look straight out of a Blueberry Delight Recipe.

Brown sugar and butter mixture in a food processor bowl, partially blended with the blade attachment visible-perfect for starting your next Blueberry Delight Recipe.

Make the crumbs

Pulse the graham crackers, sugar, and sliced almonds in a food processor until they look like fine, sandy crumbs with no big almond pieces left. Scoop out 2 tablespoons for the garnish now, before the butter goes in. (optional)

No food processor?

Seal everything in a zip-top bag and crush it with a rolling pin; the almonds will stay a little chunkier, and that is fine.

Add the butter

Pour in the melted butter and pulse until the mixture looks like wet sand. Squeeze a handful; it should hold together.

A glass baking dish filled with an even layer of crumbly brown graham cracker crust mixture, ready for baking the perfect Blueberry Delight Recipe.

Press and bake the crust.

Press the crumbs firmly into a 9x13-inch pan; I use the flat bottom of a measuring cup to pack it tight. Bake at 350F for 8 minutes, until it smells toasty and the edges look just barely golden.

Cool the crust completely.

Give it at least 30 minutes; the bottom of the pan should feel cool, not warm. A warm crust melts the cream cheese layer and the two smear together.

Beat the cream cheese layer.

Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle, beat the softened cream cheese by itself for about 1 minute, until completely smooth. Then add the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon zest and beat until fluffy, scraping the bowl once.

Beating the cream cheese alone first is how you avoid lumps; once the sugar and whipped topping go in, small lumps will not beat out.

Fold in the whipped topping.

Add 2 cups of the thawed whipped topping, about half the container. Fold it in with a spatula, cutting down through the middle and turning the mixture over, until you see no white streaks.

Fold; do not stir. Stirring knocks the air out, and the layer turns dense and heavy.

Spread the cream cheese layer.

Drop spoonfuls all over the cooled crust, then gently spread them together with an offset spatula, all the way to the edges. Dragging one big blob across the pan pulls crumbs up into the filling.

Add the blueberry layer.

Drop spoonfuls all over the cooled crust, then gently spread them together with an offset spatula, all the way to the edges. Dragging one big blob across the pan pulls crumbs up into the filling.

Top and garnish.

Spread the remaining whipped topping over the blueberries and sprinkle with the reserved crumbs. (optional)

Chill.

Cover the pan and refrigerate at least 2 hours; overnight is best. It is ready when a knife pulls through the center and the cream cheese layer holds a clean edge.

No-Bake Blueberry Delight Crust

If you do not want to heat up the kitchen for an 8-minute bake, press the crust firmly into the pan and freeze it about 30 minutes, until firm. An unbaked crust is looser, so the spoonful-and-spread method in Step 7 matters even more here.

Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

While I try to share all the information you need to make this recipe in your home with restaurant-quality results, there still may be a question or two. Or these are questions I have received from the community about this recipe. I do my best to answer them as clearly as I can. I hope this helps.

Can blueberry delight be made ahead?

I like to make my blueberry delight recipe the night before so that it has time to set completely before serving. Feel free to make this up to 2 days in advance of serving this dessert.

Is blueberry delight the same as blueberry yum yum?

Yes. Blueberry yum yum, blueberry dream, and blueberry lush are all names for the same layered dessert: a crust, a sweet cream cheese layer, blueberry filling, and whipped topping. Families and church cookbooks just call it different things.

Can blueberry delight sit out at a potluck or picnic?

Not for long. Cream cheese and whipped topping need to stay cold, so do not leave it out longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is above 90F outside.

For an outdoor party, set the pan inside a larger pan of ice and put leftovers back in the fridge right away.

Can you freeze blueberry delight?

You can, but I would not freeze it for company. The crust softens and the cream cheese layer can turn a little grainy once thawed.

If you do freeze it, wrap the pan well, freeze up to 1 month, and thaw overnight in the refrigerator.

Blueberry Recipes

Sarah Mock, a woman with long brown hair wearing a light blouse, stands indoors smiling and holding a glass of red wine. A plant and staircase are visible in the background.

Sarah's Culinary Insight

These are the details that make the difference between a pan of neat squares and a puddle on the plate.

Do not rush the chill. Every time I have served this after only 2 hours, the slices slump and the pie filling runs to the plate. Made the night before, it cuts into clean squares.
Cold cream cheese means lumps. If you skip the softening, you will see tiny white flecks in the finished layer. Beating it smooth before anything else goes in is the fix.
A warm crust ruins the layers. If the crust is still warm when the cream cheese goes on, the layers blend and the bottom turns greasy. When in doubt, set the pan in the fridge for 10 minutes.
The first piece is always the messy one. Use a thin knife and wipe it clean between cuts; running the knife under hot water helps too! Every square after the first comes out neater.

I am Sarah Mock. Welcome!

Sarah Mock is a classically trained Chef and a graduate of Johnson & Wales University. A culinary blogger for 17 years, Sarah helps the home cook prepare her recipes with professional results.

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