Orange Creamsicle Dream Bars Prove Irresistible, Leading To A Fierce Battle For Seconds.

In a baking pan measuring 8 by 8 inches and about 2 inches tall, prepare the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Two sheets of parchment paper should be used, positioned perpendicular to each other, with enough length to hang over all four sides by at least 1 inch to create a sling.

Next, take 1 stick of unsalted butter and melt it in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the butter in 20-second bursts until it is mostly melted, which should take about 40 seconds in total. Alternatively, the butter can be melted in a small saucepan over medium heat. Set the melted butter aside to cool slightly.

Break 12 whole sheets of graham crackers into rough pieces. Place them in a food processor fitted with a blade attachment. Along with the graham crackers, add 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt. Process the mixture until the crackers have reached the texture of sand, which should take about 15 seconds. Add the melted butter to the food processor and pulse the ingredients together for 6 to 8 one-second pulses. If graham cracker crumbs are being used, simply stir the crumbs and butter together in a medium bowl.

Transfer the crumb mixture to the prepared baking dish. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or your fingers to press the crumbs into an even layer, ensuring that the edges and corners are properly filled. Place the dish in the refrigerator while you move on to preparing the filling.

Clean and dry the food processor, blade, and butter bowl. Take 1 medium orange and halve it. Grate the zest of one half into the food processor. Juice that half of the orange until you have 2 tablespoons of juice, and add it to the food processor. The remaining half of the orange can be reserved for garnish.

Add the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of kosher salt to the food processor. Process the mixture until it becomes very smooth and light in texture, which should take about 1 minute.

Transfer 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture to a medium bowl. Gently fold in 3/4 cup of whipped topping using a flexible spatula. Spread this mixture over the crust in an even layer and set the bowl aside for later use (there is no need to wash it).

In the food processor, add 2 tablespoons of powdered orange gelatin mix to the remaining cream cheese mixture. Process the mixture until the gelatin is completely incorporated, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed. This step should take 30 seconds to 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to the empty bowl. Add 3/4 cup of whipped topping and gently fold everything together with a flexible spatula until no streaks remain. Dollop this mixture onto the baking pan and spread it into an even layer.

Dollop the remaining 1 1/2 cups of whipped topping over the orange layer and spread it into an even layer. Cover the baking pan and refrigerate it until the dessert is set, which should take at least 4 hours or up to overnight.