Strawberry Crunch Bars are a delicious, easy-to-make dessert perfect for any occasion. This recipe combines fresh strawberries’ sweet and tart flavors with a crunchy topping that will satisfy your sweet tooth.
As a kid, I loved the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream bars you get from the ice cream truck. They were the most amazing and irresistible ice cream treat on the menu. But I could hardly get it because they were one of the most expensive treats on the truck and cost more than the .50 or spare change I would get from the parents. It is one of the greatest food inventions ever and the inspiration for these Strawberry Crunch Bars.
Ingredients for these Strawberry Shortcake Bars
The ingredients in this recipe are straightforward. All you need are the following:
- Egg
- Butter
- Cream Cheese
- Sugar Cookie Mix
- Freeze Dried Strawberries
- Vanilla Sandwich Cookie
- Strawberry Preservers
Many of these ingredients you probably have at home, and the rest can be picked up at your local grocery store!
How to make these dessert bars
Making this recipe is almost as simple as these ingredients.
- Start making the sugar cookie crust and bake for 7-10 minutes. Once the cookie bars are made, the crust must cool completely.
- Make the cheesecake topping by mixing the cream cheese and powdered sugar and spreading it on the sugar cookie crust.
- Take dollops of strawberry preserves and swirl them into the cream cheese.
- Finally, sprinkle the strawberry shortcake topping over the cream cheese, and strawberry preserves layer. Place the bars in the refrigerator and allow them to chill before cutting them into squares.
See! Super easy!
How to make the strawberry shortcake topping
This has been a mystery since I had my first strawberry shortcake ice cream treat. How do they make that topping?! Well, I have figured out how to make the topping with frozen-dried strawberries, vanilla cookie sandwich cookies (Golden Oreos are my choice), and a little melted butter.
Add the dried strawberries and cookies to a food processor and pulse until combined. Then, slowly add some melted butter and pulse until coarse-like crumbs form and stop. This is what you will sprinkle on top of your cookie bars.
Combining strawberry and crunchy sugar cookie crumbs creates an unforgettable flavor experience. You can create these delicious bars quickly with just a few simple ingredients. Whether you are looking for an easy dessert to take to a potluck or want something special for your family, these strawberry crunch bars will surely satisfy everyone’s cravings!
Similar Recipes
If you like recipes like strawberry recipes like these, you will like the ones below:
- Strawberry Shortcake Bundt Cake
- Strawberry White Chocolate Scones
- Easy Strawberry Crumble
- Strawberry Moscato Tiramisu
- Strawberry Cheesecake Blondies
Strawberry Crunch Bars
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes, plus cooling
- Yield: 16 1x
Description
Indulge in the perfect combination of creamy cheesecake and crunchy strawberry topping with these scrumptious strawberry crunch bars!
Ingredients
- 1 Sugar Cookie Mix Pouch (including the content required, typically 1 egg and 1 stick of butter)
- 16 oz. Cream Cheese blocks, room temperature
- 1/3 c. powdered sugar + 1 tbsp.
- 1 1/2 tsp. Pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 c. strawberry preserves
- 22 Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
- 2 oz. freeze-dried strawberries
- 4 tbsp. Melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 Degrees. Line a 9X13 baking dish with parchment paper and spray with baking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the sugar cookie mix, the required contents, the egg, and a stick of butter at room temperature. Use a wooden spoon to combine the ingredients until a large cookie dough ball is formed.
- Press the cookie dough evenly into the bottom of the baking pan. Bake in the oven for 7-10 minutes. The edges of the cookie dough should be slightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
- Separately, in another mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract. Use an electric handheld mixer or stand mixer and combine until creamy. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the baked sugar cookie dough.
- Next, place dollops of the strawberry preserve on top of the cream cheese mixture. Take a toothpick and swirl it into the cream cheese mixture. Set aside.
- Place the vanilla cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor and pulse until combined. Slowly add the melted butter and pulse until coarse crumbs begin to form. Sprinkle on top of the cream cheese (you may not need all of it). Softly press the crumbs into the cream cheese. Allow to chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, then cut into squares.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
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