Quick Facts
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes total (includes 3 hours chill) • Yield: 12 bars • Skill: Easy • Method: One-pan baking • Diet: Vegetarian
Introduction
Strawberry Shortcake lovers, meet your potluck hero. These Strawberry Shortcake Bars are built for clean cuts and easy transport: a soft cookie-style base, fluffy cream topping, and a generous blanket of sliced strawberries that settles beautifully as it chills. The contrast is spot-on—tender crumb, airy cream, bright fruit—so every bite tastes like a bakery slice. If you’re planning a birthday table, picnic, or backyard grill night, this tray dessert brings big color and bigger flavor without last-minute assembly drama. Make it earlier in the day, chill, and slice when you’re ready.
Craving even more berries-and-cream ideas? Don’t miss our full lineup of Strawberry Shortcake recipes.
Why You’ll Love It
- Weeknight-easy: Straightforward steps with time to chill while you do other things.
- Flexible: Works with mixed berries or citrus-zesty cream.
- Balanced flavor: Soft vanilla base, lightly tangy cream, sweet-tart strawberries.
- Great leftovers: Holds up in the fridge for neat squares.
Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cream butter and sugar together for 3–4 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl for even mixing.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Add dry mixture in thirds, mixing just to combine.
- Spread batter into a parchment-lined 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350°F for 18–20 minutes until edges are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the baked base cool completely in the pan before frosting.
- Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in whipped topping until light and fluffy.
- Spread cream mixture evenly over cooled base, reaching all corners.
- Arrange sliced strawberries densely over the cream layer.
- Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set layers and allow for clean slicing.
- Lift out using parchment, slice into bars, and serve chilled. Wipe knife between cuts for clean edges.
Nutrition
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!Ingredients
Base
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup milk
- 1½ tsp vanilla
Cream Topping
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 8 oz whipped topping (thawed) or whipped cream
- 1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
What each ingredient does:
Butter/sugar: creamed for lift and tender crumb. Eggs: structure and moisture. Baking powder: rise. Salt: balance. Flour: body. Milk: softness. Vanilla: aroma. Cream cheese: stability. Powdered sugar: sweetness. Whipped topping/cream: volume. Strawberries: bright finish.
Pro tip: Let the base cool completely before frosting; warm cake melts cream and dulls the strawberry color.
Substitutions & Swaps
- Aromatics: Add lemon zest to cream; swap vanilla for almond extract.
- Dairy/Fats: Use Neufchâtel or Greek yogurt (well strained) blended into the cream.
- Berries: Raspberry Shortcake variation with half raspberries; or go mixed-berry for red-white-blue vibes.
- Budget/Time: Use store-brand staples; buy berries in-season; chill the pan to speed clean slicing.
- Diet: Gluten-free all-purpose blend or a GF cake mix; dairy-free cream cheese + coconut-based whip.
Equipment Notes
A stand or hand mixer helps cream butter and sugar to pale and fluffy. Bake in a 9×13 pan—metal bakes slightly faster than glass. Line the pan with parchment with overhang “handles” to lift and cut on a board. Use a thin, sharp knife and wipe between cuts.
Want a true sponge or butter cake under the cream? Start with one of our foundational cake recipes and layer the same topping.
Step-by-Step
- Cream the butter & sugar (3–4 min): Traps air for a lighter base.
- Add eggs, milk, vanilla: Beat until smooth; scrape bowl for even texture.
- Whisk dries; combine: Stir flour, baking powder, salt; add in thirds, mixing just to combine for tenderness.
- Bake 18–20 minutes at 350°F: Edges lightly golden; a toothpick should come out clean.
- Cool completely: Heat is the enemy of fluffy cream.
- Make cream topping: Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth; fold in whipped topping (or freshly whipped cream) until billowy.
- Frost: Spread an even layer, all the way to corners.
- Top with strawberries: Arrange densely for a striking look.
- Chill 3 hours: Sets layers for sharp edges and effortless slicing.
- Slice & serve: Lift by parchment, set on a board, and cut into 12–15 bars.
Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating
- Make-ahead: Bake base the day before; frost and top the morning of serving.
- Fridge: Keeps 2–3 days; berries may soften—add a few fresh slices on day two.
- Freeze: Freeze base only; thaw and finish with cream/berries fresh.
- Reheat? Not needed; serve chilled or just cool. Brighten leftovers with a squeeze of lemon.
How to Lighten / Make It Creamy
- Lighten: Use part Neufchâtel and fold in chopped strawberries to add volume without extra cream.
- Super creamy: Whip cream cheese until fluffy before folding; for extra stability, chill the cream topping 10 minutes before spreading.
Toppings, Garnishes & Finishes
- Crunch: Crumbled shortbread cookies or toasted sliced almonds.
- Fresh: Mint or basil, citrus zest.
- Tang/Heat: Tiny drizzle of balsamic reduction or a flick of pink pepper.
Microcopy: A sprinkle, a swirl, a squeeze—your three-second upgrade.
Sides & Pairings
Serve with lightly sweet iced tea, sparkling water with lime, or coffee. A simple green salad or grilled fruit rounds out a summer spread.
Building a whole spread? Add a second tray sweet from our crowd-pleasing dessert recipes.
Scaling the Recipe
Double into two pans for parties. For half-batch, bake in 8×8; start checking doneness at 15 minutes. Cool rapidly on a wire rack. Slice smaller squares for dessert platters.
Nutrition & Dietary Notes
Expect a dessert-style macro profile with carbohydrates from the base and berries and dairy from the topping. Nut-free by default; adapt gluten-free or dairy-free with the swaps above.
Troubleshooting
- Base too dense? Cream butter and sugar a bit longer and avoid overmixing flour.
- Cream too soft? Chill the topping 10–15 minutes or whip briefly to re-stiffen.
- Wet topping from berries? Pat berries dry; add just before serving.
- Cuts not clean? Chill fully; use a warm, dry knife and wipe after each slice.
FAQs
Can I use frozen or pre-sliced berries? Yes—thaw, drain well, and pat dry.
Best swaps for strawberries? Try raspberries or a half-and-half mix for color contrast.
How do I prevent dryness? Don’t overbake; remove when edges just turn golden.
Dairy-free or gluten-free options? Use dairy-free cream cheese and coconut-based whip; swap in a GF blend.
How long to chill? About 3 hours for the cleanest slices; overnight is fine.
Variations
- Lemony Herb: Add lemon zest and a squeeze of juice to the cream; finish with mint.
- Spicy Chipotle: Honey-chipotle drizzle over berries; balance with extra lime.
- Creamy Parmesan (savory-leaning board snack): Spread mascarpone on the base and top with lightly sweetened strawberries and cracked pepper.
Chef Notes / Test Kitchen Tips
Chilling is the “secret ingredient” here. It tightens the crumb and sets the cream so your knife glides. Arrange berries tightly for a luxe look—crowding keeps each bite juicy. When slicing for a party, lift the whole slab, trim the edges for the cleanest presentation, and snack on the trimmings.
Conclusion
If you need a tray dessert that behaves—no sliding layers, no last-minute assembly—these Strawberry Shortcake Bars are your reliable option. They cut clean, keep well for gatherings, and taste like classic shortcake in an easy, modern format. Make a pan today, enjoy now, and stash a few chilled squares for tomorrow.
