Hamdi Saidani These nostalgic Pioneer Woman homemade strawberry shortcake ice cream bars are made with strawberry ice cream, vanilla ice cream, strawberry preserves, crushed sugar cookies, and freeze-dried strawberries. They take about 15 minutes to assemble and a few hours to freeze.
The trick to getting that classic Good Humor look is layering and swirling the two ice creams inside the mold instead of trying to dip one into the other. Alternate spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture and vanilla, then drag a butter knife or popsicle stick through to marble them. Don’t overmix or you’ll lose the two-tone swirl and end up with pink mush.
The coating is where most people rush. Crush the sugar cookies and freeze-dried strawberries separately to rice-sized pieces, not powder. You want crunch when you bite into the bar. Once you unmold, press the bars into the mixture quickly because the ice cream starts softening the second it hits air. If the coating isn’t sticking, put the bars back in the freezer for 10 minutes and try again.
Pioneer Woman Homemade Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Description
These Pioneer Woman homemade strawberry shortcake ice cream bars swirl strawberry and vanilla ice cream inside a crunchy coating of crushed sugar cookies and freeze-dried strawberries.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Scoop the strawberry ice cream into a large bowl and stir until spreadable. Fold in the strawberry preserves until just streaked through, about 3 or 4 folds. Don’t fully mix it in.
- Scoop the vanilla ice cream into a separate bowl and stir until spreadable.
- Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the strawberry mixture into the bottom of each popsicle mold. Add 1 1/2 tablespoons of the vanilla mixture on top. Continue alternating spoonfuls of each flavor until the molds are full. Use a butter knife or popsicle stick to swirl if you want more marbling.
- Insert the sticks and freeze until completely solid, 4 to 6 hours.
- Place the sugar cookies in a large zip-top bag and crush with a rolling pin until rice-sized with some bigger crumbs remaining. Transfer to a shallow dish. Crush the freeze-dried strawberries in the same bag to a similar size. Add to the dish with the cookies and stir to combine.
- Run the molds under warm water to loosen. Gently wiggle each bar free. Press the bars into the cookie and strawberry mixture, coating all sides.
- Eat right away or place on a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes until the coating sets. Wrap individually in plastic wrap or foil and store in the freezer for up to 1 month.
FAQs
What do I serve it with?
They’re a grab-and-go treat, so they don’t need much. For a dessert spread, set them out with a batch of Strawberry Ice Cream scoops and Strawberry Sorbet for a light-to-rich range that covers everyone at the table.
Do I need popsicle molds for this?
No. Small paper cups and wooden popsicle sticks work fine. Fill the cups the same way, freeze, then tear the paper off before coating. The shape won’t be as clean, but the taste is identical.
Why did my coating fall off?
The ice cream was too soft when you rolled it. After unmolding, freeze the bare bars for another 10 minutes so the surface firms up. Then press them into the crumb mixture. A firm, cold surface grabs the coating much better than a melty one.
Can I use a different cookie for the coating?
Graham crackers or vanilla wafers both work. Stay away from anything with chocolate, it overpowers the strawberry flavor. The key is crushing to small, uneven pieces so you get texture, not a sandy dust that slides off.
How do I keep them from sticking together in the freezer?
Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap or foil before stacking. If you skip this, the coatings freeze together and you’ll rip them apart trying to separate. A sheet of parchment between layers also works if you’re storing them in a single container.
