Icebox pie is essentially a pie with a cold custardy filling and the filling is usually no-bake or minimally cooked on the stovetop. There’s lemon icebox pie, strawberry icebox pie, and chocolate icebox pie, to name a few. An “ice box” is what early refrigerators were called. So, this recipe could also be named strawberry icebox pie bars . Most versions I’ve seen are strawberry Jell-O mixed with cool whip or condensed milk. This has a very similar texture and flavor profile with a more natural strawberry fruit flavor!

What is gelatin made of?

Gelatin is a clear, flavorless substance that has the ability to thicken liquids. (Think of the texture of Jell-O, which is what gelatin is). It’s derived from the skin and bones of animals, but it doesn’t have any meat taste. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, they have plant-based gelatin substitutes made from agar agar, a type of seaweed with similar gelling properties. Personally, I haven’t tried it yet, but I’m excited to see how it compares!

Creamy Strawberry Pie Bars (with Strawberry Mousse Filling)

Creamy Whipped Strawberry Pie Bars

strawberry pie bar on a plate with a bite taken out

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These Whipped Strawberry Pie Bars are one of my all time favorite summertime desserts! Smooth, creamy, whipped strawberry filling sits on top of a crunchy salty-sweet graham cracker crust. They're a beautiful bright pink color and bursting with fresh strawberry flavor.

Author: Kelly @ Butter and Thyme
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 12 bars 1x
Category: dessert
Method: baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

1 sleeve (9) graham crackers
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

STRAWBERRY MOUSSE FILLING

1.5 lb frozen strawberries, thawed
1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice
1 envelope (2 teaspoons) gelatin
2 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch salt
fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 300 °F and lightly spray a 13 x 9 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Make graham cracker crust: process cracker pieces in a food processor until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse to combine. Slowly add melted butter and pulse until evenly distributed.
Firmly press the crumb mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges are beginning to brown. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Let the crust cool completely.
Make strawberry mousse filling: strain strawberries over a bowl, reserving juices. In a small shallow bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice with 2 tablespoons of reserved strawberry juice and sprinkle gelatin over the juices-- let it sit for about 5 minutes. In a small saucepan, heat the remaining strawberry juice and cook until it reduces to 3 tablespoons*. Remove pan from heat, add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin has dissolved. Add cream cheese and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Process strained strawberries in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add the strawberry juice-gelatin mixture to the processed strawberries and mix until evenly combined.
In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip heavy cream on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Gradually add sugar and salt and whip until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes longer. Fold the whipped cream into the strawberry mixture until no white streaks remain. Pour mousse evenly over the prepared crust and chill for 4-6 hours until set.
Slice into bars and serve! Garnish each bar with a fresh strawberry slice (optional).

Notes

To reduce the strawberry juices, set the pot over medium heat until simmering. Constantly scrape the bottom of the pan while heating so that it doesn't burn.

Find it online: https://butterandthyme.com/whipped-strawberry-pie-bars/