These Strawberry Crunch Sugar Cookie Bars deliver all of the nostalgic taste of a strawberry crunch ice cream bar to a simple, picnic-friendly dessert. Comfortable sugar cookie bars are topped with creamy strawberry frosting and a strawberry cookie crumble for candy summer season crunch.
You may need already guessed that this dessert was impressed by the basic strawberry shortcake ice cream bar. The crumbly, crunchy topping offers it away. This isn’t my first strawberry crunch rodeo. The primary was a sliceable ice cream cake, which hits excellent in heat climate. However I needed to seize these flavors in one thing a bit of extra picnic-friendly for the summer season gatherings on my calendar. One thing that’s much less melty. A deal with that’s simpler to stack on a dessert tray, and transportable sufficient to journey. That’s how these Strawberry Crunch Sugar Cookie Bars got here to be.
A chewy, buttery sheet pan sugar cookie offers these bars a evenly candy base. Whereas a fluffy strawberry buttercream and crunchy strawberry cookie topping deliver the sweetness and all of the acquainted strawberry crunch taste.
Freeze-dried strawberries do some heavy lifting right here, they usually’re considered one of my favourite pantry baking elements. They add concentrated strawberry taste with out further moisture, so the frosting stays creamy and the crunch topping stays, effectively. Crunchy. They’re pantry-friendly, and with the appropriate storage they’ll preserve for ages. Really, I retailer totally different sorts of freeze-dried berries in my pantry particularly for frostings and whipped toppings as a result of they ship concentrated fruit taste with out destabilizing texture.
Freeze-Dried Strawberry Tip
Keep in mind, use sliced freeze-dried strawberries, not strawberry fruit crisps or chewy dried strawberries. You need the brittle, ethereal form that crush simply into powder. The resealable bundle they’re bought in might be extremely light-weight – nearly as if there’s nothing in there!
A Easy Sugar Cookie Base for Layering
The cookie dough might be acquainted to sugar cookie bakers. It’s straightforward and easy with just one vital approach to notice: stir the flour into the creamed butter by hand. Use a rubber spatula to combine all the things collectively till simply mixed. This helps forestall over-mixing and yields a young cookie bar. We need to preserve these gluten strands good and brief for the softest sugar cookie.
The cookie layer bakes up comfortable and chewy, someplace between a basic sugar cookie and a bakery-style cookie bar.
Press the Sugar Cookie Bar Dough Right into a 13×9 Pan
Press or unfold the dough right into a parchment-lined 13×9 pan. If the dough feels too sticky or awkward to unfold, lay a evenly greased piece of parchment over the dough and press it evenly into the pan. Simple repair.
Bake for about 20 minutes. The cookie layer ought to look evenly golden on the edges with a pale middle that now not seems shiny. Don’t overbake! The sheet pan sugar cookie will set because it cools and can keep softer that method.
Massive Strawberry Taste, No Contemporary Berries Required
As I discussed earlier on this put up, the strawberry frosting and crunchy topping each get their vibrant berry taste from freeze-dried strawberries. A small quantity of strawberry powder stirred into the buttercream provides daring strawberry taste. And! Not like contemporary berries, it does this with out making the frosting free or watery. It additionally imparts a naturally rosy hue.
The topping makes use of crushed freeze-dried strawberries blended with vanilla sandwich cookies. This creates that signature sweet-tart crunch impressed by the basic ice cream bar coating. I like the way it smells like a cross between strawberry milk and birthday cake frosting. Simply toss all the things in a zip-top bag and crush to coarse crumbs with a rolling pin. It solely takes about 15 seconds!
Frost, Crunch, Slice, Repeat
As soon as the cookie layer has cooled utterly, unfold on the strawberry buttercream. Then sprinkle the highest with the strawberry cookie crumble. Add the topping whereas the frosting is contemporary so the crumbs adhere properly. Then all that’s left is slicing it into bars. Use a big chef’s knife for clear slices.
Make-Forward Suggestions and Storage
One of many issues I admire most about these bars is how effectively they maintain up. They pack effectively for outside gatherings the place an ice cream dessert wouldn’t be sensible. They keep comfortable, slice neatly, and don’t require any refrigeration.
Bake the sheet pan cookie a day upfront. Or make the absolutely assembled bars forward and retailer them lined at room temperature for as much as 4 days. The freeze-dried strawberries maintain their taste fantastically, and the bars keep comfortable and chewy.
It’s also possible to retailer a bit of further crumble individually and sprinkle it over the bars simply earlier than serving. Beneath lined storage, the crumble will soften just a bit over time. Just a little sprinkle will freshen the crunch.
These Strawberry Crunch Sugar Cookie Bars are comfortable, buttery, and the flavour jogs my memory of strawberry milk (my fave!). They really feel proper at residence at any summer season gathering. Pool events, birthday celebrations, potlucks – you title it! Mainly wherever you’d desire a strawberry crunch ice cream bar with out concern of it melting beneath the summer season solar.
Associated Recipe: Strawberry Crunch Ice Cream Cake
Strawberry Crunch Sugar Cookie Bars
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13×9 pan
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parchment paper
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massive zip-top bag
Sugar Cookie Layer
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon high-quality grain salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 massive eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk or cream as wanted for thinning
- 1 tablespoon freeze-dried strawberry powder from about 1/4 cup sliced freeze-dried strawberries
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- 12 vanilla sandwich cookies akin to Golden Oreos
- 1/2 cup freeze-dried strawberry slices
Make the Sugar Cookie Layer
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, whisk collectively the flour, salt, and baking powder; put aside.
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Within the bowl of an electrical mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar collectively on medium pace till mild and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
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Add the eggs one after the other, beating effectively after every addition. Combine within the vanilla extract.
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Add the flour combination to the butter combination and blend with a rubber spatula till simply mixed.
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Press the dough evenly into the ready pan. If the dough is sticky, place a evenly greased sheet of parchment paper over the dough and press it evenly into the pan.
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Bake for 18–20 minutes, or till evenly golden across the edges and the middle is ready. Cool utterly within the pan.
Make the Strawberry Buttercream
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Within the bowl of an electrical mixer, mix the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Beat on low pace till mixed; the combination could look crumbly.
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Add the vanilla extract and sufficient milk or cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, to create a clean, spreadable frosting.
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Combine within the freeze-dried strawberry powder till absolutely included and the frosting is evenly pink. Cowl the bowl with a moist paper towel whereas making ready the topping.
Make the Strawberry Crunch Topping
Assemble the Bars
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Unfold the strawberry buttercream evenly over the cooled cookie layer. Instantly sprinkle the strawberry crunch topping over the frosting, urgent evenly if wanted to assist it adhere.
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Slice into bars and serve. Preserve them lined at room temperature.
Taste variation: use freeze-dried blueberries or raspberries rather than the strawberries for a complete new sugar cookie dessert!
