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 Cool Whip, these No Bake Margarita Bars are light and 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 not only delicious but also portable, picnic-friendly and a reflection of the summer season.

Ingredients
For the Filling
- 12 oz. of Cool Whip
- 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk or full fat coconut milk
- 2 oz. Altos Silver Tequila
- 2 oz. Tres Agaves Organic Margarita Mix
- 1 lime juice and zest
- 1 lime zest, for garnish
For the Crust
- 2 cups mini pretzels or sticks
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 5 Tbsp. unsalted melted butter or 5 Tbsp. Heinen’s organic coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp. of 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 that’s okay, just pulse until the mixture sticks together well enough to press into a baking pan.
- In a 9×13 parchment-lined baking pan, add the crust mixture. 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 Cool Whip. Mix together until well combined and then whisk in the Cool Whip.
- 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 off my knife after every cut or two. It keeps the globs and crumbs that gather during slicing from messing up any new, clean edges.