Crust Directions:

1. Place 26 cookies in a food processor and process into fine crumbs.
2. Add melted butter and process until crumbly and a wet sand-like texture.
3. Press evenly into the bottom of a greased 10-inch springform pan.
4. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Filling Directions:

1. Combine boiling water and gelatin, mix for 2 minutes until dissolved, and set aside to cool.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth.
3. In another bowl, beat whipping cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
4. Divide whipped cream in half, adding half to the cream cheese mixture and half to the gelatin mixture. Beat each until smooth.
5. Pour half of the strawberry mixture onto the crust and freeze for 15 minutes.
6. Remove from the freezer, add the cream cheese mixture, and top with the remaining strawberry mixture.
7. Coarsely crush the remaining vanilla cream cookies and strawberry wafers.
8. (Optional) Add food coloring to the crushed cookies.
9. Mix the crushed cookies together and sprinkle on top of the cheesecake.
10. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until ready to serve.

Topping:

1. Before serving, pipe whipped topping onto the cheesecake using a pastry bag with a star tip (optional).