By Holly Sosa
Summer is in full swing here in the High Desert, even if it’s not officially for a couple more weeks according to the calendar. We’re already blasting the air conditioner and cooling off in our swimming pools thanks to the desert heat. And dessert? Well, it’s never a question now that temperatures are now consistently above 90F. It’s ice cream and popsicles because what better way to cool down than with a creamy treat? My simple recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars is a kid favorite that even adults enjoy from time to time (by time to time I mean just as much as the kiddos). The strawberry goodness is a throwback to an ice cream truck favorite only when you make it at home, you’ll never have to worry about whether or not any are left for you (because when you make it yourself, you get first dibs!).
To start, I simply add some Golden OREO Cookies to my food processor and get them finely ground up into a sand-like texture.
I add in some melted butter and give it a few more pulses to thoroughly combine it all together. I press the cookie crumbs into the bottom of my baking dish to create a crust layer.
Then I toss it into the freezer to set for about an hour.
While the cookie crust is setting, I start making the crumb topping by adding more Golden OREO cookies, melted butter to my food processor only this time I keep the crumbs larger.
I set aside a few tablespoons of the cookie crumbs before adding strawberry gelatin powder to my food processor. I give it a couple gentle pulses to just combine the rest of the cookies with the strawberry mix. The crumb toppings also both get placed in the freezer to set.
Once my crust and toppings are set, it’s time to assemble. I start by grabbing some softened vanilla ice cream and scoop it over the top of the cookie crust, spreading it evenly throughout the pan.
I pop it back into the freezer for about twenty minutes to harden.
And then I grab some softened strawberry sorbet and repeat, placing it back in the freezer to harden.
Then I pull it out and add one more layer of vanilla.
And I sprinkle both the cookie and strawberry crumbles over the whole pan to coat.
I place it back into the freezer for about four hours (overnight is best) before lifting the whole thing out and cutting the cake into squares.
My family enjoys these right away, but they’re also easily stored by wrapping each square in parchment and storing in a plastic bag kept in the freezer.
These tasty treats are the perfect summer dessert. They taste even better than what we all remember the ice cream man having; and the best part is that we don’t have to wait for him to make his neighborhood rounds before enjoying one!
For additional recipes like this be sure to follow Our Holly Days on Pinterest where I keep all my favorites on hand.
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