Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Vegan strawberry ice cream bars coated in a shortbread cookie crumble!
There are two types of people in this world: people who love strawberry shortcake ice cream bars, and people who love chocolate eclair ice cream bars. I’m one of those people who loves both, but when I had to choose which classic ice cream bar recipe to make, my heart immediately leapt to the strawberry shortcake side, which means I love them a tiny bit more.
Strawberry shortcake ice cream bars were a staple when I was a kid. When Ice Cream Day came around at school, I was one of those kids scrambling to the front of the line so I could indulge in a sweet treat for fifty cents. Even then, I could never choose between the strawberry shortcake bars and the chocolate eclair bars, so I would alternate my choice each week.
(By the way - do schools these days still have Ice Cream Day? I hope so!)
My nostalgia floods back every time I drift to the ice cream aisle and catch site of Good Humor ice cream bars. That happened again recently, so I picked up all the ingredients I needed to make these copycat strawberry shortcake bars at home - and, I made them vegan!
Do these taste just like the Good Humor strawberry shortcake ice cream bars?
Because we use coconut cream as the base for our vegan ice cream, the texture is a little different. You don’t taste the coconut, but these bars will have a crunchier, slightly icy texture straight out of the freezer. I recommend placing them on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften them up before enjoying!
Do I need any special equipment?
These vegan strawberry shortcake bars are easier to make than you think. You probably have most these ingredients on hand, however there are a few you may need to pick up: fresh strawberries, freeze-dried strawberries, and coconut milk. All of the ingredients in this recipe are simple and pronounceable, which checks two big boxes in my book.
And - make sure you have popsicle ice cream molds ready for this recipe, too. Here is the one I use.
Tips for making these bars creamier:
Be sure to use coconut cream for this recipe, not coconut milk! Coconut cream is the thick, creamy liquid that separates and settles at the top of canned coconut milk. I recommend placing your can of coconut milk in the fridge overnight, and then scoop out the cream that’s on top.
Even so, because we use coconut cream as the base for our vegan ice cream, these bars will have a crunchier, slightly icy texture straight out of the freezer. I recommend placing the ice cream bars on the counter for 10-15 minutes to soften them up before enjoying!
Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Bars
Ingredients
- 1 c fresh strawberries, stems removed
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 can coconut cream, cold
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 1 c crushed vanilla cookies
- 1/4 c dried strawberries
- 1 tbsp vegan butter, melted
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a blender, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the strawberry ice cream inside the popsicle molds, filling them just below the top to leave some room for the ice cream to expand. Place the top on the popsicle mold then insert the sticks into each bar.
- Freeze the ice cream bars for a minimum of 6 hours, or overnight.
- Place the cookies and dried strawberries in a food processor, and pulse until it forms crumbs.
- Stir in the melted butter, pinching so it gets a little clumpy.
- Remove the ice cream bars from the freezer. Run the molds under hot water until you see the sides of the ice cream bars release from the mold.
- One at a time, press the cookie crumbs onto all sides of the ice cream bars until evenly coated. It helps if the ice cream bars are slightly soft–it helps the cookie stick better.
- Do a few coats until the ice cream bars are covered. Return to the freezer to set for 20-30 minutes.
- Allow the ice cream bars to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes so it has a softer consistency. Enjoy!
Notes
- You will need a popsicle mold for this recipe. Here is the one I use.