Ingredients
- 2 cups of finely crushed graham crackers
- 1 stick of unsalted butter melted
- 1 tbsp of sugar
- 2 blocks of cream cheese room temp
- 1 1/3 cup of powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup of juice from an orange
- 1 3 oz box of orange jello mix only 1/4 cup
- 3 cups of whipped topping thawed
- 20 vanilla Oreos crushed into crumbs
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter melted
- 1 3 oz box of orange jello mix
Instructions
- In a large bowl add the crushed graham crackers and sugar and mix together, add 1 stick of melted butter to the bowl and stir with a fork until all the crumbs are coated. Line an 8x8 baking dish with parchment paper.
- Pour the crumbs into the 8x8 and spread and flatten evenly. Place in the refrigerator. In a large bowl add the cream cheese and beat with a hand mixer until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and orange juice, beat again until everything is mixed together and there are no lumps.
- Add 2 cups of whipped topping and fold using a silicone spoon. Fold until everything is well mixed. Take the crust out of the refrigerator and add 2 cups of the cream cheese mixture, spread evenly on top of the crust.
- Add 1/4 cup of the orange jello mixture to the rest of the cream cheese mixture in the bowl, fold again using the silicone spoon until there’s no more white streaks. Add the orange cream cheese mixture on top of the regular cream cheese mixture and spread.
- Add the remaining whipped topping to the top of the orange cream cheese mixture and spread around. Add the Oreos to a food processor and pulse until you get crumbs.
- Add the crumbs to a medium sized bowl and add the 3 oz of orange jello mix and 1/4 cup of melted butter, stir until everything is completely coated. Sprinkle on top of the whipped topping and place in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Lift the parchment paper up and slice into bars, serve and enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
Pro Tips for Perfect Orange Creamsicle Crunch Bars
- Room temperature cream cheese is non-negotiable: Cold cream cheese will never beat smooth no matter how long you mix it. You'll end up with lumps in the filling that you can't get rid of. Leave it on the counter for a full hour before starting.
- Fold, don't stir, the whipped topping: Stirring deflates Cool Whip and turns your light, airy filling into something dense. Use a silicone spatula and fold gently from outside to inside. It takes slightly longer but the texture difference is significant.
- Press the crust firmly: A loose crust falls apart when you slice the bars. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it tightly into every corner. The firmer the crust, the cleaner the bars.
- Leave the parchment overhang: This is the only way to get the bars out of the pan without destroying the layers. Leave at least two inches of overhang on each side before you add the crust.
- Chill overnight for the cleanest slices: The one-hour minimum is enough to set the bars, but overnight chilling gives you much cleaner, more distinct layers and slices. If you can plan ahead, make these the night before.
- Wipe the knife between cuts: A clean, slightly damp knife gives you sharp, clean slice edges that show off all the layers. Dragging a dirty knife through the bars smears the layers together and looks messy.