Strawberry Crunch Bars
These Strawberry Crunch Bars are the perfect spring and summer dessert. They have a strawberry cake base, frosting, and an Oreo crumble topping.
Strawberry Crunch Bars
These Strawberry Crunch Bars are the perfect treat when you have a sweet craving.
They’re a twist on the strawberry crunch ice cream bars.
They’re simple to make and always a big hit at any gathering.
Ingredients
Strawberry cake mix: If you want to make it from scratch, you can substitute the cake mix with a homemade recipe.
Butter (melted): We use unsalted butter. Melt it before adding it to the cake batter for a smooth texture.
Eggs: Pull these out about a half an hour to an hour before making so they’re at room temperature.
Strawberry gelatin powder: Choose regular strawberry gelatin (not sugar-free). You can also experiment with a different flavor of gelatin if you want to change things up.
Cream cheese (softened): We use full-fat cream cheese. Pull the cream cheese out at the same time as the eggs. Let it soften to room temperature so it mixes smoothly without lumps.
Butter (softened): We use unsalted butter. Pull this out at the same time as the cream cheese and eggs.
Vanilla extract: If possible use pure vanilla extract instead of vanilla flavoring.
Powdered sugar: Make sure to sift the powdered sugar before using it in the frosting to avoid any lumps in the mixture.
Heavy cream: Use heavy cream for the frosting to make it smooth and creamy.
Golden Oreo cookies: Golden Oreos work best for the crunchy topping, but you can also try other cookie varieties for a different flavor if you like.
Strawberry gelatin powder
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
Set the dish aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the strawberry cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and strawberry gelatin powder.
Spread the thick batter evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely to room temperature.
In another large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
Add the powdered sugar and 1 Tablespoon of heavy cream and mix until the frosting is smooth.
If the frosting is too thick, beat in the second Tablespoon of heavy cream.
Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the cooled strawberry cake.
Place the Golden Oreos in a food processor and pulse until they are broken down into rough crumbs, leaving some larger pieces for texture.
Add the strawberry gelatin powder to the crushed cookies and pulse until combined.
Pour in the melted butter and pulse just until everything is mixed together.
Sprinkle the cookie crumble evenly over the cream cheese frosting.
Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes to set.
Slice into bars and serve chilled.
Leftovers/Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips & Tricks
Use room temperature ingredients: Make sure the butter, eggs, and cream cheese are softened to room temperature for easier mixing.
Don’t skip cooling time: Allow the bars to cool completely before adding the frosting and the crunch topping to avoid melting the frosting.
Switch up the cookies: You can substitute the Golden Oreos with other cookies like vanilla wafer cookies or even strawberry shortcake cookies for a different twist.
Cutting tip: For clean slices, use a sharp knife dipped in warm water between cuts, wiping it dry after each slice.
No food processor?: Crush the Golden Oreos in a sealed plastic bag using a rolling pin if you don’t have a food processor.
Frosting thickness: If the frosting is too thick, add heavy cream a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
Strawberry Crunch Bars
Ingredients
Bars Ingredients
- 1 box strawberry cake mix
- ½ cup butter melted
- 2 eggs
- 2 Tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
Frosting Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Crunch Ingredients
- 20 Golden Oreo cookies
- 4 Tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
- ¼ cup butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the strawberry cake mix, ½ cup melted butter, eggs, and 2 tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder. Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish (the batter will be thick).1 box strawberry cake mix, ½ cup butter, 2 eggs, 2 Tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder
- Bake at 350F for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely to room temperature.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese, ¼ cup softened butter, and vanilla extract until well combined. Add the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, beat in one more tablespoon of heavy cream.8 ounces cream cheese, ¼ cup butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1-2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the strawberry bars.
- Place the golden Oreos in a food processor and pulse until the cookies are broken down into rough crumbs (some bigger pieces are okay). Add the 4 tablespoons of strawberry gelatin powder and pulse to combine with the cookies. Pour in the ¼ cup melted butter and pulse just until mixed in.20 Golden Oreo cookies, 4 Tablespoons strawberry gelatin powder, ¼ cup butter
- Pour the cookie crumble over the cream cheese frosting and spread out evenly.
- Refrigerate the bars for 30 minutes, then slice and serve.
Please note that the nutritional content of this recipe will vary based on the specific ingredients used. For a detailed breakdown of the nutritional values, consider using a recipe nutrition calculator with the exact brands and measurements you’ve used.
