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.

Cheesecake Sugar Cookie Bars

Cheesecake recipes always grab my attention, but this recipe combines two favorites, cheesecake and sugar cookies.  Love the concept!  I have not made them yet, but once The Captain sees this recipe, it will be the next dessert on the list.

Makes 16 (2") Bars

Ingredients:

• 1 favorite sugar cookie recipe, or 1 (17.5 oz) pkg sugar cookie mix in a pouch by Betty Crocker
• 1 small box (4 serving size) french vanilla instant pudding
• 2 Tbsp brown sugar (packed)
• 1 stick melted butter = 1/2 cup
• 3 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs + plus 3 yolks
• 2 pkg (8oz) cream cheese @ room temperature
• 1/2 c sour cream
• 1/2 c white granulated sugar
• 2/3 c optional: toffee bits, (pulverized in a blender or food processor)

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

Spray 9 X 13 baking pan with cooking spray

In medium bowl mix cookie mix, pudding mix, brown sugar and melted butter together.

Add 1 Tsp vanilla and 1 egg, blend with a spoon.

When dough begins to come together, use your hands to knead the dough then form into a ball.

Press dough into your baking dish, and slightly up the sides

In another large bowl, using your mixer, beat at room temperature . . .  cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and the remaining egg and 3 yolks, add 2 tsp vanilla 

Beat until smooth and creamy.

Spread this cream cheese mixture over top of the cookie dough in your pan.

BAKE 25-30 minutes until center is set.

While bars are baking . . . pulverize the toffee bits in blender
Sprinkle immediately over dish as removed from the oven and still hot.

Let cool . . . 30-45 minutes

Cover then place in refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.

Cut into 2-3 inch bars to serve.

Keep refrigerated.


Source: http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/cheesecake-sugar-cookie-bars-by-freda.html