Creamy Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Sandwich Bars
A fuss-free summer dessert combining tender shortcake, macerated strawberries, and creamy vanilla ice cream layered into portable, freezer-friendly bars.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk, cold
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (300g) fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
- ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 quart (950ml) good-quality vanilla ice cream, slightly softened
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.
- Cut cold, cubed butter into dry ingredients using a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in cold milk and vanilla extract just until combined; do not overmix.
- Pour batter evenly into a greased 9×9-inch baking pan and smooth the top gently.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely.
- Toss sliced strawberries with powdered sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes to macerate.
- Once shortcake is fully cooled, spread softened vanilla ice cream evenly over the shortcake layer using a warm spatula.
- Spoon macerated strawberry mixture over the ice cream layer and spread evenly.
- Cover pan tightly with plastic wrap or parchment paper and freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Before serving, let bars sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes for easier slicing.
- Cut into 12 bars using a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Serve immediately or store leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer.
Notes
Keep butter cold to create flaky pockets in the shortcake. Do not overmix batter to avoid dense texture. Let shortcake cool completely before assembling to prevent melting ice cream. Macerate strawberries to avoid watery filling. Use a warm knife for clean slicing. For dairy-free version, substitute milk with almond milk and use coconut-based ice cream. Frozen berries can be used if fresh are unavailable.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 280320
- Fat: 14
- Carbohydrates: 35
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 4
Keywords: strawberry shortcake, ice cream sandwich, summer dessert, easy recipe, handheld dessert, creamy, fruity, shortcake bars