Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars (A Childhood Favorite)
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These Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars are creamy, fruity, and full of the sweet crunch we all remember. You get rich, smooth ice cream with swirls of fresh strawberry and a buttery, crumbly coating in every bite. It’s a nostalgic favorite that takes you right back to chasing down the ice cream truck on a warm day.
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
I still remember the long summer afternoons when the sound of the ice cream truck would echo down the street.
We would come running, hoping to grab our favorite treat before it rolled away. And for me, it was always the Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars.
Now that I have kids of my own, I thought it would be fun to make our very own ice cream bars at home. The smell of the strawberries and the sweet vanilla ice cream brings back so many memories of the Good Humor Strawberry Shortcake Bars from the ice cream truck.
One bite, and you’re right back in the sunshine, chasing down the ice cream man with a big smile on your face.
Why You’ll Love Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
- Easy to make with simple ingredients.
- No ice cream machine needed! Just mix, freeze and enjoy.
- Tastes just like the classic ice cream truck favorites.
- Creamy, fruity, and crunchy all in one bite.
- Perfect for hot summer days and family treats.
- Fun to make with your kids.
- Looks impressive but comes together with very little effort.
Ingredients for Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Ice Cream Ingredients
- Fresh Strawberries: You’ll need 1 cup of fresh strawberries, roughly chopped.
- Granulated Sugar: Helps draw out the juices from the berries to create a simple strawberry puree.
- Heavy Cream (Very Cold): It’s what makes your vanilla ice cream base rich and creamy.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Adds sweetness and makes the texture smooth without needing an ice cream machine.
Strawberry Crunch Topping
- Vanilla Wafer Cookies: Crushed vanilla wafters will give you the crumbly coating just like the outside of strawberry shortcake ice cream bars. You can crush them into fine crumbs using a food processor or a rolling pin.
- Freeze-Dried Strawberries: Freeze-dried strawberries adds a bold strawberry flavor and a little crunch. Once crushed, they turn into a bright strawberry powder that mixes right in with the crumbs.
- Salted Butter: The melted butter helps bind your crumbs together so they stick to the bars. It also adds a rich flavor to balance the sweetness.
- Vanilla Extract: Homemade vanilla extract brings a warm, sweet flavor to tie everything together and gives it the classic vanilla ice cream taste.
- Salt: A small pinch makes the flavors pop just a little more.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Make the Strawberry Mixture: In a medium bowl, add your chopped fresh strawberries and sugar. Mash them with a fork or blend in a food processor until nice and soft, like a chunky strawberry puree. Pop it in the fridge to chill while you work on the rest.
Whip the Cream: In a large bowl, pour in your cold heavy cream. Use a mixer and beat it until it gets fluffy and forms soft peaks.
Finish the Ice Cream Base: Add in the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and salt. Keep mixing until it thickens up to stiff peaks.
Fill the Molds (First Layer): Spoon about half of your ice cream mixture into your popsicle molds. This will be the bottom layer of your strawberry ice cream bar base.
Add the Strawberry Swirl: Take the chilled strawberry mixture and spread it over the ice cream layer. Gently swirl it in with a spoon so you get the pretty ribbon of flavor.
Top It Off: Add the rest of the ice cream mixture on top. Smooth it out so everything is even.
Freeze Until Solid: Insert your sticks and place the molds in the freezer. Let them freeze at least 6 hours, but overnight is even better.
Make the Strawberry Crunch: Crush your vanilla wafers and freeze-dried strawberries into fine crumbs. Stir in the melted butter until it looks like a crumbly topping with a little strawberry powder mixed in.
Remove from Molds: Take your frozen bars out of the molds. If they’re stuck, just run a little warm water over the outside to help them slide right out.
Coat the Bars: Roll your homemade strawberry shortcake ice cream bars into the crunchy mixture. Press gently so it sticks all around.
Final Freeze: Place the coated bars back in the freezer for about 15 minutes to help everything set up nice and firm.
Ways to Serve Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
- Serve straight from the freezer on a hot summer day.
- Drizzle with chocolate or strawberry syrup for extra sweetness.
- Crumble over a bowl of ice cream for a fun dessert twist.
- Serve at parties as a grab-and-go treat.
How to Store Ice Cream Bars
Place them in an airtight container or wrap each one in plastic wrap. It keeps them from getting freezer burn and helps the crunchy coating stay in place.
Lay them flat in the freezer. When you’re ready for another perfect treat, just grab one and enjoy. No need to thaw, they’re best straight from the freezer.
Favorite Ice Cream Recipes
- Creamiest Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream
- Snickers Ice Cream Pops
- Homemade Fried Ice Cream
- Mason Jar Ice Cream
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Ingredients
Ice Cream
- 1 cup Chopped Fresh Strawberries roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp Granulated Sugar
- 2 cups Heavy Cream very cold
- 1 14 oz. can Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Strawberry Crunch
- 1 cup Vanilla Wafer Cookies
- 1/2 cup Freeze Dried Strawberries
- 3 tbsp Salted Butter melted
Instructions
- In a medium sized bowl, add in roughly chopped strawberries and granulated sugar. Mash with a fork or blend in a food processor until finally mashed. Set in the refrigerator for now.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the cold heavy cream with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract, and salt then mix until your mixture reaches stiff peaks.
- Spoon half of the ice cream mixture into popsicle molds.
- Evenly distribute the strawberry mixture over the ice cream layer, while gently swirling it, then top with the remaining ice cream mixture.
- Insert sticks and freeze for at least 6 hours or until solid. I like to freeze them overnight.
- Crush the vanilla wafers and freeze dried strawberries into fine crumbs and mix with melted butter.
- Remove the frozen ice cream bars from the molds.
- Roll each bar in the strawberry crunch mixture, pressing gently to coat.
- Return to the freezer for 15 minutes before serving.
