Strawberry Bars — Easy, no mixer bars with a shortbread crust, one pound of fresh berries, a layer of sweet custard, and creamy whipped topping!! A perfect warm weather dessert that everyone LOVES!!
Easy Fresh Strawberry Dessert
If you’re like me when summer rolls around, your eyes are often bigger than your stomach or your refrigerator storage when it comes to buying fresh fruit. Seeing all those berries makes me think I may never see them again and I bought a few too many strawberries. Just a few pounds extra, no biggie.
These easy, one bowl, no mixer custard bars came to the rescue. I love dessert recipes that have a minimal amount of dishes and those that don’t require me to drag out my mixer.
The strawberry bars recipe starts with a shortbread crust, topped with one pound of diced strawberries, before a custard filling is poured over the the top. After baking, whipped topping is added.
The crust has subtle crunch and texture and it’s the perfect contrast for the creamy, soft custard filling with chunks of juicy strawberries in every bite.
I kept the bars in the fridge until I sliced them so I could get clean cuts, but after about 30 minutes at room temp, the custard softens to a pudding-like consistency and it’s heavenly. Strawberries and whipped cream (or in my case, Cool Whip), plus the custard, are everything fabulous about summer.
What’s in the Strawberry Bars?
To make this fresh strawberry dessert, you’ll need:
- All-purpose flour
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Fresh strawberries
- Eggs
- Heavy whipping cream
- Vanilla extract
- Whipped topping
How to Make Strawberry Bars
This is one of the easiest desserts to make with strawberries! Simply Mix together the shortbread crust, then press it into a foil-lined 8×8-inch baking dish. Bake the crust just until set.
While the crust bakes, dice the strawberries. Once the crust comes out of the oven, evenly top with the diced berries.
Then, whisk together the custard filling and pour over the strawberry layer. Return the bars to the oven and bake until golden and the custard is set.
The strawberry bars need to cool for about 4 hours in the fridge before spreading the whipped topping on top.
Can I Use Frozen Strawberries?
I’ve only made this recipe with fresh, and I don’t think frozen berries would work. Frozen strawberries release lots of moisture and I worry they’d make the crust and filling soggy.
Can I Double This Recipe?
Yes! Double the ingredients list and bake in a 9×13-inch pan.
Tips for Making Strawberry Custard Bars
Lining the pan with foil is technically optional, but it makes cleanup so much easier! If you’re out of foil, spray the pan with non-stick spray.
I recommend using whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, because it holds it shape for longer and doesn’t deflate. You can also make this recipe with homemade whipped cream, but know that it will only last for about a day before deflating.
These bars need to be stored in the fridge. The filling and topping will become runny if they’re left out at room temperature for too long.
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Strawberry Custard Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Filling
- 1 pound fresh strawberries, diced into small pieces (reserve about 5 whole strawberries for garnishing)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
Topping
- about 3/4 of one 8-ounce container whipped topping, I used fat-free; homemade whipped cream may be substituted
- strawberry slices, for garnishing
Instructions
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil; set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the flour, butter, sugar, salt, and using two forks or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Turn mixture out into prepared pan and hard-pack with a spatula to form an even, smooth, crust layer.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan from oven and set on a wire rack to cool. While crust bakes, dice the strawberries.
Filling:
- After crust has cooled for about 5 minutes, evenly top with strawberries; set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl (the same one used for the crust is fine, just wipe it out with a paper towel), add the eggs, sugar, cream, vanilla, and whisk vigorously for about 1 minute to combine.
- Add the flour and stir to combine; don’t overmix.
- Evenly pour filling mixture over the strawberries.
- Bake for about 40 to 45 minutes or until top is lightly golden brown and custard is set. Tip – In the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking, if the top is already looking fairly browned, tent the pan with a sheet of foil (loosely drape a sheet of foil over the pan) to prevent additional browning.
- Allow bars to cool uncovered on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours (or overnight), or until chilled.
Topping:
- Evenly spread the whipped topping over the top and garnish with strawberry slices. Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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I made this for our July 4th cookout. It was absolutely fabulous!! I will be making this again, maybe trying with different fruits. Thanks for the great recipe!
Thanks for trying the recipe and I’m glad it came out great for you! Sounds like a great 4th of July recipe!
Haha I’ve got a surplus of fresh fruit in the fridge right now!! Mainly watermelon :P Next time I have a lot of strawbs, I’m making these!
I haven’t gone nuts (yet) with over-buying watermelon this summer but summer has just begun…lol
Hello! Your desserts are always so wonderful! I’m so excited to try these! I realized I’m out of aluminum foil however. Will it be ok if I don’t line the pan?
I think you’ll be fine without it. LMK it goes!
These bars are a strawberry lovers dream!!
And I know you are the queen of all strawberry lovers! :)
hey girl this looks so good! Yummy!
These look FANTASTIC!! That crust!! I’d eat the entire pan in one sitting.
Ugh these look amazing. And damn you are so right my eyes ARE way bigger than my belly when it comes to fresh berries. Between the farmers market and being at the grocer store I can’t keep up with how much I buy. Love that you made these bars, strawberry and custard are such a classic combo!
Oh my goodness, these look amazing! I’m on a huge strawberry kick right now (I feel like the grocery stores is conspiring against me because overtime I go they are literally EVERYWHERE). I’d almost run out of ideas for awesomely strawberry desserts when this popped up. Thanks so much for sharing. I’m excited to give these a try :-D
My sweetheart is a massive over-buyer of produce, and therefore I am always looking for delicious ways to use it productively. I’ve been on a banana binge lately (WHO BUYS 2 DOZEN BANANAS FOR 2 PEOPLE) but am totally inspired by your strawberry adventure!
THERE SEEMS TO BE AN ERRANT CUP OF SUGAR FLOATING AROUND … ASSUMING IT GOES INTO THE CUSTARD MIX. YOR TICKING OFF OF INGREDENTS IN THE BODY OF INSTRUCTIONS DOES NOT MENTION IT. THESE LOOK DE-LISH. GATHERING INGREDIENTS TODAY !
HI TONI YOU’RE SCREAMING AT ME USING ALL CAPS. In case you didn’t know all caps in equivalent to screaming online!
But step 6 takes care of the sugar in the filling. Enjoy the bars!
What a beautiful luscious looking dessert! I wish I could just grab this through the screen!
I always buy way too much fruit and have to end up freezing half of it before it goes bad. This is a much more delicious solution :)
I wish my strawberry plants would actually yield some fruit!! I have yet to eat a sinlge strawberry from them, the damn animals get them all first! Now raspberries on the other hand….
This sounds so good and fresh and SUMMERY!!
I’m jealous that you have homegrown raspberries! What a delicacy!! My dad grows raspberry plants and it’s a treasured childhood memory!
So perfect! Strawberries are definitely my favorite summer fruit and I go through them like water, so I never think of it as overbuying ;)
This looks like a nice summer dessert–not overly sweet or rich and a great way to use a surplus of strawberries. This reminds me a little of strawberry shortcake but the shortbread crust and custard sounds better!
Shortcake-like, you’re right but even better we thought!
I always buy way too much fruit and then I have to deal with the consequences. :)
The shortbread crust is the best. These look amazing!
Glad to hear I’m not alone with the fruit buying :)