No Bake Margarita Bars

No-Bake Margarita Bars

The following recipe was created in collaboration with Lauren Schulte. To see more of her bites and meals, visit her Instagram @TheBiteSizePantry.

Why drink your cocktail when you can eat it?

Made with whipped cream, these No-Bake Margarita Bars are light, fluffy and spiked with a shot of tequila. To create a truly craft cocktail experience, I also added some margarita mix along with fresh lime juice and zest.

This dessert is delicious, portable, picnic friendly and a reflection of the summer season.

Ingredients

For the Filling

12 oz. of whipped cream
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk or full fat coconut milk
2 oz. Altos Silver Tequila
2 oz. Tres Agaves organic margarita mix
Juice and zest of one lime
Extra lime zest, for garnish

For the Crust

2 cups mini pretzels or pretzel sticks
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
5 Tbsp. unsalted melted butter or 5 Tbsp. Heinen’s organic coconut oil
2 Tbsp. water

Instructions

Add all of the crust ingredients to a food processor and pulse until a dough ball forms. If a ball shape doesn’t form, just pulse until the mixture sticks together well enough to press into a baking pan.
Add the crust to a 9×13 parchment-lined baking pan. Press the mixture down flat into the pan until it fills the pan up to edges. Place in the freezer.
In a large mixing bowl, add all of the filling ingredients, except the whipped cream. Mix together until well combined and then whisk in the whipped cream.
Pour the filling into the chilled crust, top with most of lime zest and place back in the freezer to set. Let it set in the freezer for at least 4 hours, or up for 24 hours, before cutting into bars.

Note: Once the bars are completely chilled, cut them with a very sharp knife. I find the best way to get clean edges is to clean the knife after every cut or two.