Delish Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

If you grew up chasing the ice cream truck like it owed you money, these Delish Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars are basically therapy—except colder and cheaper. Picture creamy layers of vanilla and strawberry ice cream wearing a crunchy coat of strawberry-cookie crumble, strutting around like the prom queen of summer. It’s nostalgia, but make it snackable. And yes, that pink crumb situation? It’s freeze-dried strawberries and cookies—AKA grown-up sprinkles with main character energy.

I made a test batch for “the family,” which is code for me eating three before anyone got home. My husband tried to slice one straight from the freezer with a butter knife like a raccoon with a credit card and nearly catapulted a bar across the kitchen. The kids? They were helpful in the way only kids are: they ate the crumb topping with spoons and left the plain ice cream blocks like a snowbank. Also, yes, this pan is too small. No, I won’t wash fewer dishes. I’ll just cut the bars aggressively and call them “rustic.”

Time-Saving Hacks

– Buy strawberry and vanilla ice cream. If you churn your own, wow, congrats on your free time.
– Crush cookies and freeze-dried strawberries in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin. Therapy and crumbs.
– Line the pan with parchment, then use an offset spatula dipped in hot water to smooth the layers like you actually know what you’re doing.
– In a rush? Use store-bought ice cream sandwiches, stack them in a pan, smear with strawberry ice cream, and roll edges in crumbs. Morally gray, deliciously right.
– Keep the crumb mix in the freezer. Cold crumbs stick better; also, you’ll snack on fewer. Maybe.

Serving Ideas

– Serve with lemonade if you’re wholesome, iced coffee if you’re me, or sparkling rosé if the kids spelled their names in ketchup again.
– Add a drizzle of white chocolate if you want compliments you didn’t earn.
– Pick a “bar” moment: make a toppings bar with extra crumbs, sliced strawberries, and sprinkles. People love choices they didn’t pay for.
– Honestly? Hand people a bar and point them toward the patio. Done.

What to Serve It With

– Grilled things: burgers, hot dogs, veggie skewers. Salty + cold sweet = summer math.
– Salty snacks: kettle chips, pretzels, anything that crinkles loudly.
– A fruit platter so someone can pretend this is balanced.
– Backyard classics: pasta salad, corn on the cob, and the neighbor who wanders over when dessert appears.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Let ice cream soften on the counter 10–15 minutes. Soft, not soupy. Soupy equals regret and sticky elbows.
– Don’t overprocess crumbs into a paste—pulse until sandy with little chunks. Texture is the whole plot.
– Press the ice cream layers firmly so they freeze as one happy slab and not a slidey lasagna.
– Warm your knife in hot water and wipe between slices for clean, smug squares.
– Work fast when coating the sides in crumbs. Melt happens. Embrace the chaos, then refreeze.
– If using fresh strawberries, pat them dry and tuck them inside the ice cream layers, not in the crumb. Moisture = sad crumbs.

✔Storage Tips

Store it in the fridge… if there’s any left. Cold midnight leftovers? Sometimes better than fresh.
Wrap bars individually in parchment or wax paper and stash in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Keep crumbs in a separate baggie and roll right before serving for max crunch. If they soften, refreeze uncovered for 10 minutes to firm the edges back up.

✔Variations and Substitutions

Swap whatever you want—sugar ↔ honey, soy sauce ↔ tamari, or skip steps and call it “deconstructed.” It still counts.
– Cookie swap: Golden Oreos, Nilla wafers, shortbread, or gluten-free sandwich cookies. They all crumble under pressure—relatable.
– Berry twist: Freeze-dried raspberries for a tart pop or a mix of strawberry + raspberry if you’re wild.
– Dairy-free: Use coconut or oat-based ice cream and vegan butter for the crumb. Still dreamy.
– Flavor flip: Go full Neapolitan with chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla layers. It’s a personality test.
– Extra: Marble in strawberry jam or lemon curd before freezing. You’ll look advanced with zero new skills.
– Drizzle: White chocolate or ruby chocolate over the top for that “I watch baking shows” aesthetic.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars

These Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars layer creamy vanilla ice cream with a bright strawberry swirl and buttery shortcake crumble—just like the nostalgic ice cream truck favorite, made at home.

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Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 16

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 6 cups vanilla ice cream slightly softened
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.125 tsp fine sea salt
• ▢ 3 cups fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
• ▢ 0.33 cups granulated sugar for strawberry swirl
• ▢ 1 tbsp lemon juice fresh
• ▢ 1 tbsp cornstarch for strawberry swirl
• ▢ 1 tbsp water to make cornstarch slurry
• ▢ 3 cups vanilla sandwich cookies finely crushed (Golden Oreo style)
• ▢ 1.5 cups freeze-dried strawberries crushed into powdery crumbs
• ▢ 0.25 cups granulated sugar for crumble
• ▢ 0.5 cups unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2 inch overhang on the long sides for easy lifting. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Make the strawberry swirl: In a saucepan, combine strawberries, 0.33 cups sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until juicy and bubbling, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir cornstarch with water to make a slurry, then pour into the pan. Cook 1 to 2 minutes more until thick and jammy. Transfer to a bowl and cool completely.
• Make the shortcake crumble: In a bowl, mix crushed vanilla sandwich cookies, crushed freeze-dried strawberries, and 0.25 cups sugar. Stir in melted butter until evenly moistened. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly crisp. Cool completely, then break into chunky crumbs.
• Soften and flavor the ice cream: In a large bowl, stir the softened vanilla ice cream with vanilla extract and salt until smooth and spreadable.
• Assemble: Press half of the crumble firmly into the bottom of the lined 9x13 pan. Dollop the ice cream over the crust and spread into an even layer. Spoon the cooled strawberry swirl over the top and lightly swirl with a knife. Sprinkle the remaining crumble evenly on top, pressing gently to adhere.
• Freeze until solid, at least 4 hours or overnight. Lift out by the parchment, slice into 16 bars, and serve.

Notes

Shortcut: Swap the homemade strawberry swirl with 1.5 cups of good-quality strawberry jam warmed just until pourable. For extra crunch, add 0.5 cups chopped freeze-dried strawberries to the top before freezing. Store bars tightly wrapped in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.