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These Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars are an easy, no-bake dessert made with buttery Golden Oreo crumbs, freeze-dried strawberries, and layers of creamy vanilla and strawberry ice cream. They’re the kind of dessert that’s always nice to have tucked away in the freezer for a hot afternoon. Pair them with a grinder sandwich for lunch, and you’ve got my idea of the perfect summer day.
I still remember the excitement of hearing the ice cream truck jingle getting closer on a hot summer day. After an afternoon of playing outside and running through the sprinklers to cool off, nothing beat ending the day with a strawberry shortcake ice cream bar. I loved biting into the strawberry shortcake crumbles on the outside and the layers of sweet vanilla and strawberry ice cream tucked inside.
These strawberry shortcake ice cream bars bring me right back to those summers, but they’re even better because they’re incredibly simple to make with just a handful of ingredients! If I were putting together the perfect summer cookout menu, these ice cream bars would be right alongside my smash burgers and a big pitcher of sweet tea.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
- Golden Oreos – These create the buttery “shortcake” crumble that gives the bars that nostalgic flavor. I love the texture they add to the coating as well.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries – This is how we get that concentrated strawberry flavor and a naturally vibrant pink color without making the crumble soggy.
- Unsalted Butter – Melted butter binds the cookie crumbs together so the layers hold their shape after freezing.
- Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Cream – Using both flavors creates a pretty marbled center, but you can easily use all strawberry or all vanilla ice cream if you want. I like the Tillamook brand because the texture is perfectly creamy.
- Salt – Just a pinch balances the sweetness and enhances the strawberry flavor.
For the rest of the ingredients, please refer to the recipe index card below!
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
- Pulse the Golden Oreos and freeze-dried strawberries into coarse crumbs.
- Mix the crumbs with melted butter and salt.
- Firmly press half of the crumble into the prepared pan.
- Scoop the softened strawberry and vanilla ice cream over the crust, alternating flavors for a marbled effect.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumble evenly over the ice cream and press gently.
- Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Lift the bars out using the parchment, slice into squares, and serve immediately before returning leftovers to the freezer.
Quick Tips for the Best Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Line the baking pan with parchment. Do not skip this step, the parchment helps remove the ice cream bar from the baking pan.
Don’t over-process the cookies. We want coarse, sandy crumbs instead of a fine powder so the crumble has plenty of texture.
Let the ice cream soften a bit. It should spread easily but still hold its shape. If it’s too melted, the layers won’t stay distinct.
Use a warm knife for clean slices. Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
Slice to your preference. These ice cream bars can be sliced to make 6, 9, or even 12 bars.
Serve straight from the freezer. These soften quickly, so they’re best enjoyed within a few minutes of slicing.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: You can assemble these ice cream bars up to 1 week in advance before serving, just keep them tightly wrapped to avoid freezer burn.
Storage: Store the sliced bars in an airtight freezer-safe container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep frozen for up to 2 weeks.
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Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 family size package golden oreos, (1 lb 2.21 oz)
- 1 ounce freeze dried strawberries
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- big pinch of kosher salt
- 3 cups Strawberry Ice Cream, (half of a 1.5 quart container)
- 3 cups Vanilla Ice Cream, (half of a 1.5 quart container)
Instructions
- Start by preparing an 8×8 baking dish. I use a metal one with as straight of sides as possible for the cleanest look. Line it with a parchment paper sling so two sides of the parchment are hanging over the side of the pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add half the golden oreos, breaking up each one slightly as you add them. This prevents the food processor from overprocessing and turning them into dust.
- Pulse the food processor until you get small crumble sized pieces. Transfer to a bowl then add the remaining golden oreos, breaking them up as well, along with the freeze dried strawberries (no need to pre-break those). Pulse again until you get small crumble sized pieces then add those to the bowl with the rest of the cookie crumbles, the melted butter, and the salt. Mix until everything is easily combined.
- Add half of the shortcake crumble to the prepared baking dish (It should be about 310 grams) and press the crumble firmly and evenly into the pan. Place this in the freezer for 15 minutes, taking out the ice cream to thaw slightly on the counter while it hangs out.
- After 15 minutes, remove the pan from the freezer and scoop out the ice cream onto the pressed crumble. The ice cream should not be liquidy or super loose, but soft enough to scoop and evenly spread out with an offset spatula. I like to alternate the flavors of the ice cream scoops on top so each sandwich has both flavors once it’s all assembled.
- Once you’ve added all the ice cream, use an offset spatula to even sort of push the ice cream down and get a flat even layer. Add the remaining crumble over top, spread it out evenly, and gently push it down to get an even layer of pressed crumble that matches the first layer you initially put in the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the freezer.
- Let everything hang out in the freezer for at least 1.5 hours, preferably 2 or more hours (overnight is great) so the ice cream can firm up nicely for even cutting.
- When you’re ready to serve, remove the pan from the freezer and lift out the ice cream sandwich using the parchment sling. You might need to use a thin knife along the edges without parchment to help with this. Once the sandwich has been removed from the pan, cut it into desired sizes (I think 3 rows of 3 is perfect for this but you can make these as small or large as you want. Serve immediately and store any leftovers tightly wrapped in the freezer.
Notes
Quick Tips
Line the baking pan with parchment. Do not skip this step, the parchment helps remove the ice cream bar from the baking pan. Don’t over-process the cookies. We want coarse, sandy crumbs instead of a fine powder so the crumble has plenty of texture. Let the ice cream soften a bit. It should spread easily but still hold its shape. If it’s too melted, the layers won’t stay distinct. Use a warm knife for clean slices. Dip your knife in hot water and wipe it dry between cuts. Slice to your preference. These ice cream bars can be sliced to make 6, 9, or even 12 bars. Serve straight from the freezer. These soften quickly, so they’re best enjoyed within a few minutes of slicing.Make Ahead & Storage
Make Ahead: You can assemble these ice cream bars up to 1 week in advance before serving, just keep them tightly wrapped to avoid freezer burn. Storage: Store the sliced bars in an airtight freezer-safe container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap and keep frozen for up to 2 weeks.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
