Strawberry Crumble Bars (Printable Version)

Tender vanilla bars covered in fluffy whipped frosting and a sweet strawberry crumble. Always a summer go-to.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vanilla Bars

01 - 1/3 cup veggie oil
02 - 2 big eggs
03 - 1 package vanilla-flavored cake mix

→ Strawberry Crumble

04 - 1 cup regular flour, split up
05 - 1 stick (1/2 cup) plain butter, nice and soft, split up
06 - 1 box (3 oz) strawberry-flavored gelatin powder, dry
07 - 1 box (3 oz) instant vanilla-flavored pudding, dry

→ Cool Whip Frosting

08 - 1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip, fully thawed
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
10 - 1 cup icing sugar
11 - 1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, left out to soften

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Slice into pieces and dig in right away, or stash in the fridge until later.
02 - Spread all that fluffy topping over the cooled vanilla layer. Toss plenty of cooled strawberry and vanilla crumbles right on top.
03 - Grab a big mixing bowl and beat together the softened cream cheese, vanilla, sugar, and thawed Cool Whip with a hand mixer until it looks super airy.
04 - Move those baked crumbs into a container and pop them into the freezer for 10 minutes so they get nice and cold.
05 - Lay both crumbles out on parchment on a baking tray. Slide them into a 350°F oven for about 10 minutes, giving a good stir at the halfway mark.
06 - In a new bowl, stir up the pudding mix, 4 tablespoons soft butter, and 1/2 cup flour. Use a fork until it clumps up into little crumbles.
07 - For pink crumbles, in a bowl, toss together the strawberry gelatin, 4 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup flour. Mix with a fork so you get chunky bits.
08 - Evenly spread the dough in your lined baking dish. Bake it around 20 minutes, or until you see golden edges. Let it cool all the way down.
09 - Mix up the vanilla cake mix, eggs, and veggie oil in a large bowl and use your mixer until you get a thick dough.
10 - Set your oven to 350°F. Cover a 9x9 pan with foil. Hit it with non-stick spray. Leave it aside for now.

# Additional Notes:

01 - Want to switch it up? Use a different gelatin powder for the crumble like lemon or raspberry.
02 - Let the full bars chill in your fridge before eating if you want firmer squares.
03 - Bars keep fine for up to a week in the fridge, sealed up tight. You can even freeze them to last longer.
04 - Always make sure your crumbly toppings are all the way cool before sprinkling them on the frosting, so it doesn't melt.

Go Back