Creamy Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Milk Pie Bars
These bars combine a flaky crust, silky strawberry milk pie filling, and a luscious dark chocolate dip for a nostalgic and crowd-pleasing dessert that’s quick and easy to make.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 16 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ⅔ cup (135g) granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 oz (115g) cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (about 150g) fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
- 6 oz (170g) dark chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold cubed butter and blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into bottom of 9×9-inch pan. Bake 15 minutes until edges are lightly golden. Cool slightly.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in whole milk and heavy cream. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbling, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Lightly beat egg yolks in a small bowl. Gradually whisk about ½ cup of hot milk mixture into yolks to temper. Slowly pour egg mixture back into saucepan, whisking constantly. Cook 2 more minutes until thick and creamy. Remove from heat.
- Beat softened cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth. Slowly add warm milk mixture in batches, whisking to combine. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour filling over baked crust and spread evenly.
- Arrange sliced strawberries in a single layer on top of filling, pressing slightly so they stick but don’t sink.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 20-25 minutes until filling is set but slightly jiggly. Cool completely on wire rack, then chill in fridge at least 2 hours.
- Melt dark chocolate and coconut oil together in microwave-safe bowl in 30-second bursts, stirring until smooth. Cut bars into squares. Dip bottoms halfway into melted chocolate or drizzle over top. Place on parchment paper and chill until chocolate sets, about 30 minutes.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge.
Notes
Keep butter cold and blend crust until crumbly but not smooth for a tender base. Stir filling constantly to avoid lumps. Temper eggs carefully to prevent scrambling. Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese for smooth filling. Don’t overbake filling; it should jiggle slightly. Chill bars thoroughly before dipping in chocolate to prevent melting. Bake crust while prepping filling to save time.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recip
- Calories: 210
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Protein: 3
Keywords: strawberry bars, chocolate dipped dessert, milk pie bars, creamy dessert, easy homemade bars, strawberry dessert, chocolate dessert