Lemon Strawberry No-Bake Squares

Lemon Butter Cookie Crust with Strawberry Mascarpone Fluff

It’s been hot hot hot around here, so I developed another little no-bake square.  I’m on the fence if I prefer the sweetened condensed milk crust or the marshmallow crust; aaaand I’m leaning toward the mallow.

This lemon and strawberry square is made with sweetened condensed milk… and it’s so yummy.  Seriously, like … melt-in-your-mouth yummy.

No-bake squares and bars are an ideal dessert in the sweltering heat and simply terrific when young bakers are in the kitchen helping out.

How to put together this little bite of delicious…

Lemon Butter Cookies are a great jump-start of flavor for the crust.

I added lemon zest and juice from one lemon.  If lemony lemon lemon is your favorite, feel free to use two lemons.

For the 150gr of cookies, I added 200gr of sweetened condensed milk – next time I would add a few more cookies or a handful (1/2 c) of flaked coconut to add volume, which would result in a less sticky square.

Since I crushed 150gr of cookies, I only needed a 9″ x 9″ square baker.  My Homer Laughlin Fiesta Dinnerware Square Baker is ideal for using in the refrigerator as well as the oven.

While the crust setting up in the fridge, I made the strawberry fluff.  A little bit of butter, mascarpone, powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream and fresh strawberry puree.

After adding the strawberry topping, refrigerate over night (or freeze if you need dessert more quickly).

I love using the parchment paper to lift the entire dessert out of the baker and onto the slicing board.

I try to set up the photograph before slicing the squares.

These squares are light with a wonderful combination of flavors.

My life partner and I shared this with our neighbors – who loved them too.

Sobriety allows me to have neighbors in an amazing place that our people return to willingly.