When I think back to the summers of my childhood, I remember hopping on my bike after breakfast, and not returning home ’til dinner. Tossing then collecting dive rings at the local pool for hours on end. Chasing crawfish out from underneath creek rocks, but being too afraid they’d pinch my fingertips to put my whole heart into catching them.
Bomb Pops.
Lightening Bugs.
Sidewalk chalk.
Ice-cold lemonade.
Every week during the summer, my Mom would let my brothers and me each pick out a packet of Kool-Aid from the dazzling display at the grocery store to sip on during the week. Although Purplesaurus Rex, Surfin’ Berry Punch, “blue”, and “red” were all very tempting, plain ‘ol Lemonade was usually my first choice. Tart, sweet, and totally thirst quenching, I always looked forward to a big cup of it after playing outside all day.
There’s still nothing as refreshing as a frosty glass of lemonade (perhaps with a shot of sweet tea vodka?) after a hot day in the sun, but these days I’m also enjoying the sweet, summertime flavor in dessert form with No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites.
With a texture somewhere between a custard, pudding, and jello, No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites are tart, sweet, creamy, and taste exactly like a glass of lemonade accented with the fresh taste of strawberries.
They’re perfect for a portion controlled sweet treat and, best of all, there’s no baking involved!
Start the No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites by making the graham cracker crust for the bottom of the bites. Add 4 sheets graham crackers into the bowl of a food processor then process until they’re fine like sand.
Next add 2 Tablespoons melted butter, and 1 Tablespoon brown sugar to the crumbs.
Pulse until everything is combined.
Next, bust out some mini muffin tins. I use these babies all the time for everything from Mini Ham & Cheese Quinoa Cups, to Mini Corn Dog Muffins, and Mini Orange-Glazed Poppyseed Muffins. Everything just seems to taste better in mini form, me thinks. ;)
Spray the muffin tins with non-stick spray, then spoon 1 heaping teaspoon graham cracker mixture into each cup, pressing down firmly with a flat-bottomed shot glass to form the crust.
Pop the tins into the fridge while you make the lemonade-flavored filling for the bites!
Start the filling by creaming together 8oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese that’s SUPER soft, with 14oz fat-free sweetened condensed milk, and 1/4 cup egg beaters’ egg whites, until light and fluffy. Make sure your cream cheese is VERY SOFT before mixing, or risk a lumpy batter. Arg!
Next beat in 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons worth.) This is what makes the bites taste like lemonade!
Finally, dissolve 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin in 3 Tablespoons boiling water.
I heated a cup of water in the microwave for about a minute, then spooned it over the gelatin and whisked with a fork. Let the mixture cool for about 2 minutes, then beat it into the filling mixture.
Grab the mini muffin tins from the fridge and spoon a heaping Tablespoon of the filling into each cup, then pop them back in the fridge for at least 8 hours to firm up.
When you’re ready to devour, run a small sharp knife around the outside of the bites, pop them out of the tins, then top with half a strawberry each. No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites are served! :D
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No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites
Description
No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites taste just like summertime!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 4 graham cracker sheets (8 squares)
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 Tablespoon brown sugar
- For the filling:
- 8oz-1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 14oz can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
- 1/4 cup egg beaters all whites, or regular egg beaters
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
- 2 teaspoons powdered gelatin
- 3 Tablespoons boiling water
- 12 small strawberries, sliced in half
Directions
- Place graham crackers into a food processor and process until very fine. Add butter and brown sugar then process to combine. Spray 2 mini muffin tins well with non-stick spray, then spoon 1 heaping teaspoon graham cracker mixture into each cup. Press down firmly with a flat-bottomed shot glass to form the crust, then place muffin tins into the fridge.
- In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and egg beaters until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice and beat until fully combined. In a small bowl whisk together powdered gelatin and boiling water until dissolved. Let cool for 2 minutes, then beat into the cream cheese mixture.
- Fill each mini muffin tin cup to the top with the filling, then place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Run a small knife around the outside of each cup to pop it out of the mini muffin tin then top with half a strawberry. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
Adapted from Ellie Krieger
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
Seriously love the cooling flavor of these mini bites!
The strawberry on top totally makes ’em, and I just love the tartness from the fresh lemon juice and zest. Great for kids, and kids at heart!
~~~~~
What were your favorite parts about summer as a kid?
Strawberry Lemonade Tart Bites | Formal Fringe 09.05.2012
[…] see, I first spotted a recipe for these No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites on one of my favorite food blogs, Iowa Girl Eats. (Seriously, my fave. If you haven’t visited […]
Heather 08.31.2012
You helped me win the bake off at my husband’s office with these! They were awesome and ironic, since, technically, there was no baking involved. I did forget to add my zest to the filling, so I diced my strawberries and added it in to make a garnish and it was great!
Iowa Girl Eats 09.04.2012
Ahh – that is so awesome!!
Lindsey Dittoe 07.22.2012
I have made these twice now and they are delicious! The batch I have right now has half with strawberries and hald with raspberries :)
Five Friday Finds :: Morsels of Life 07.20.2012
[…] Sharing of Recipes Asian Soba Noodles with Purple Cabbage & Peanuts – Beyond the Peel No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites – Iowa Girl Eats Cheesecake Popsicles – Kitchen Meets […]
Skip the Oven: No Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites « Couture Cupcakes by Dress My Cupcakeâ„¢ 07.19.2012
[…] no bake strawberry lemonade bites are delicious and super simple to create. We read the recipe from Iowa Girl Eats online. Kristin tells us of her summer memories and why these awesome lemonade bites are the […]
CJ @ Morsels of Life 07.17.2012
Not only do these strawberry lemonade bites sound like some tasty eats, you’ve made them look like they should be on display! I’ll have to give them a try. :)
Erin W 07.17.2012
I so want to make these..they look and sound so wonderful! However, I’m new to using egg beaters. Are they safe to eat raw? I don’t want to serve them to my young kids if there’s a chance they could get sick. Thank you!
Iowa Girl Eats 07.18.2012
Egg Beaters go through double pasteurization so they are safe to eat raw! (#17 here:
Desserts | Pearltrees 07.16.2012
[…] No-Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites Chess Squares When I was in New York a few weeks ago we stopped by one of the most unique bakeries I’ve ever visited, Momofuku Milk Bar . Noted for their unusual concoctions like cookies made with potato chips, birthday cake truffles, and cereal milk ice cream, I’d been wanting to visit Momofuku’s and try a slice of their famous Crack Pie since I came across the recipe in the LA Times last year. Aren’t these Santa Hat Brownies just so cute? Thanks to Erica’s Sweet Tooth for the inspiration. I was looking for a fun and simple holiday treat and I ran across a recipe on her website. […]
Marci Johnson 07.12.2012
These are beautiful and look so simple to make. I also love that they are the perfect sized dessert portion!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction 07.12.2012
I love these! Perfect for summer!
Kim DeBerge 07.12.2012
This looks scrumptious! But I’m even more in love with those pretty jeweled forks! I want some:)
Kayte 07.11.2012
Thanks to those who answered the egg white question for me…I can leave them out, Yahoo! Thanks!
Mary Sandage 07.11.2012
I made these last night, omitting the egg and changing up the lemon with lime – absolutely delish! I grew up in Iowa and miss a lot about living there. Summers for me were about riding bikes on gravel country roads, listening to red wing blackbirds on the barbwire fence, picking wild plums to take home for my mother to make into jam, and eating fresh tomatoes and corn from the garden.
Lyndsay @ItMom 07.11.2012
Another BEAUTIFUL post. Your blog is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Pinned this gorgeous recipe. :)
AbbieD 07.11.2012
Ummm…I’m really not sure how you can pass up Purplesaurus Rex. It was the BOMB! (And here I thought my sister and I were the only ones who remembered it!)
My favorite part of summer was…SUMMER! Taking off on my bike first thing in the morning and heading up to Lions Park for Urbandale Park & Rec, then riding my bike to either my house or my friend Kathy’s house for lunch (close to 2 miles between houses), then back up to the park. Then maybe home at 3:00 to watch Scooby Doo and Eight is Enough in the air conditioning. :)
Boy how times have changed…no parent would ever allow their child to put the miles on their bike that I did as a kid! I rode that thing ALL.OVER.TOWN. And since there were no cell phones, Mom had to take her best guess at where I might be.
Adrienne @ Midwestern Belle 07.11.2012
Considering it’s been 100+ degrees here in KC – these look like a great way to cool down! Yum :)
Deborah 07.11.2012
Oh do these look good! Best memories of a kid is in SD and my brother, sister and me would play with all the neighbor kids past dark – – oh to be a kid again! :)
MARY 07.10.2012
Hi Kristin,
I have enjoyed your blog for 2yrs now and am a proud Iowa lover (my family has a farm near Decorah). Even though I don’t eat beef or pork my family HIGHLY recommends Polasheks products (www.polashekslocker.com). Their T-shirts for “Got Jaternice” are cute too. “Czech” them out and spread the word.
Keep on with the good blog-M3
Cindy 07.10.2012
After breakfast, when my mom would shoo us outside, point to the sky straight above her, and say, “Come home for lunch when the sun is right above your head,” and my brother and our friends would go play in the fields and mountains surrounding our neighborhood, or ride bikes, or go to the pool, or play video games. Man, being a kid was awesome.
Joanna 07.10.2012
My favorite parts of summer has a child was going to visit my Oma and Opa. I would spend all summer on their ranch. It was so much fun. The treats look amazing. My family will love them. I love your forks. They are so cute. :)