These vegan Strawberry Shortcake Ice Cream Cups reimagine your favorite childhood ice cream bar. Crumbly shortbread cookies, freeze dried strawberries, dairy-free ice cream, and fresh strawberry compote layer together to make this delicious treat.
First, make the Vegan Shortbread Cookies. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all ingredients into a large mixing bowl to form the dough. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick, and use a cookie cutter to shape. Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.
While the cookies are baking, make the strawberry compote. Add all ingredients for the compote into a small sauce pan and stir until evenly mixed. Bring to a strong simmer, and stir constantly until the mixture has thickened and the strawberries are tender. This usually takes about 5 minutes. Set it aside to cool.
Make the Strawberry Shortcake Crumble
Once the cookies are done and cooled, place about 10 cookies (115g) into a food processor and pulse until the cookies are mostly broken up.
Add the freeze-dried strawberries and pulse again until the desired crumbly texture is reached.
Layer the Cups
Here is the order I followed:1.Strawberry Shortcake Crumble2. Vanilla Ice Cream3.Crumble4. Strawberry Ice Cream5. Crumble6. Mix of Vanilla and Strawberry Ice Cream7. Strawberry Compote.
Once the cups are layered to your liking, that's it! You're ready to serve and enjoy!
Notes
Not Vegan? Use traditional shortbread cookies or dairy ice cream.
Gluten-free? Use a gluten-free flour to make the shortbread cookies and you're all set.
Want to Mix it up? Add a layer of vegan chocolate or mango ice cream instead or in addition to the strawberry and vanilla ice creams.
If you want to make these cups ahead of time, you can store them in individual freezer-safe containers or make the layers in one large freezer-safe container from which you can scoop individual portions. It will last up to 1 week in the freezer before losing some flavor.