Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Bars

These semi-homemade cookie bars are a quick and delicious

 celebration of the strawberry shortcake.

Recipe and photo courtesy of Pillsbury.com.

Ingredients

• 1 package Pillsbury™ Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 envelope unflavored gelatin (1 tablespoon)
• 4 oz frozen (thawed) whipped topping (half 8-oz container)
• 1 3/4 cups chopped fresh strawberries

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper.

Remove cookies from package; place cookies on cookie sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack; cool completely. (To speed up process, refrigerate cookies about 1 hour.)

Meanwhile, line 11x7-inch pan with cooking parchment paper.

Once cookies are cool, place in food processor. Cover; pulse a few times until all cookies are crumbled. 

Reserve 1 cup of the cookie crumbs. Pour remaining cookie crumbs into pan; press in bottom of pan to form crust.

In mixer bowl with paddle attachment, beat cream cheese and sugar until creamy and smooth. Add gelatin; stir to combine.

With rubber spatula, fold whipped topping and 1 cup of the chopped strawberries into cream cheese mixture. Spread over cookie crust. Top with remaining chopped strawberries.

Sprinkle reserved 1 cup cookie crumbs evenly over dessert; gently press with fingers. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

To serve, cut into 5 rows by 3 rows to make 15 bars, or into 6 rows by 3 rows to make 18 bars.


Notes from Pillsbury

If you're on a vegetarian diet, you can leave the gelatin out, but remember to refrigerate a little longer.

These bars can be easily frozen and served as ice cream bars on hot summer days.