Recipe: Blueberry Crumb Bars (2024)

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Elizabeth Barbone

Elizabeth Barbone

Elizabeth Barbone loves to bake without gluten. She's the author of three cookbooks: Easy Gluten-Free Baking, How to Cook Gluten-Free, and The World's Easiest Paleo Baking. She blogs at GlutenFreeBaking.com and lives in upstate New York.

updated May 28, 2019

summer

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Recipe: Blueberry Crumb Bars (1)

A buttery oat- and nut-packed crust doubles as a crumb topping in these summery blueberry bars.

Serves16

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Recipe: Blueberry Crumb Bars (2)

Fruit pies are undeniably one of the stars of summer desserts. They’re also a dessert I save for weekend baking, when I’ve got more time to make pie crust and prep delicate summer fruits. But sometimes, smack dab in the middle of the week, I feel like baking something with fresh fruit. My one requirement? It can’t take take too long to make. Enter: simple blueberry crumb bars.

For Easy Pie Bars, the Crust Doubles as the Topping, Too

These bars are what would happen if Dutch apple pie topping and blueberry pie filling got together for a summer fling. They’re sweet, crunchy, and, best of all, easy to make. One of the things that makes them so simple is that the crust and topping are made from the same mixture (which tastes like a buttery cinnamon granola). Half of it gets pressed firmly into the pan for the base, and the remaining mixture is strewn over the blueberry filling to create a streusel-like topping.

Although the crust tastes like granola, it’s made like a traditional pie crust — you cut cold butter into a flour mixture made with oats, chopped almonds, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Since my hands are warm in the summer, I use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture. If your hands are cool, you can rub the butter into the mixture using a snapping motion with your fingers.

Don’t Underestimate the Power of Cornstarch

After pressing the bottom crust into the pan, it’s time to make the filling. It’s a simple combination of blueberries, lemon zest and juice, and cornstarch, which is a key component to the success of this dessert. As the blueberries cook and release their juices, the cornstarch thickens the filling and keeps it from spilling out. One time I accidentally forgot to add the cornstarch, and the bars came out of the oven looking like blueberry soup.

How to Serve and Store Fresh Fruit Crumb Bars

When the bars come out of the oven, they’re delicate — all hot fruit and buttery crust. If cut too soon, they’ll fall apart; allow the bars to cool for at least an hour before slicing.

In the hot summer, I store the bars in the refrigerator. While they taste great cool, they taste even better slightly warmed in the microwave. I’ve even been known to crumble a warm bar over a small bowl of vanilla ice cream — a summer sundae, if you will. It’s a treat you must try for yourself before summer fades into fall.

Comments

A buttery oat- and nut-packed crust doubles as a crumb topping in these summery blueberry bars.

Serves 16

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the crust and topping:

  • Cooking spray

  • 1 cup

    all-purpose flour

  • 3/4 cup

    old-fashioned rolled oats

  • 1/2 cup

    finely chopped almonds

  • 1/2 cup

    packed light brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon

    ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 cup

    (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

For the filling:

  • 2 cups

    fresh blueberries, washed and dried

  • 1/4 cup

    granulated sugar

  • 1 tablespoon

    cornstarch

  • Finely grated zest of 1 medium lemon

  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)

Instructions

  1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving overhang on all sides. Grease the foil lightly with cooking spray; set aside.

  2. Make the crust and topping: Place the flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the butter and, using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, incorporate until no large pieces of butter remain. The mixture should be crumbly and hold together when squeezed.

  3. Set aside 1 cup of the mixture. Transfer the remaining mixture to the prepared baking dish and press it firmly and evenly into the pan to form the crust.

  4. Make the filling: Place the blueberries in a medium bowl. Add the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest and lemon juice and toss gently to combine. Transfer the mixture to the baking dish and spread into an even layer over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup crumb mixture over the blueberries.

  5. Bake until the filling is bubbling and the top is golden-brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool at least 2 hours before cutting into bars.

Recipe Notes

Frozen blueberries: You can use frozen blueberries instead of fresh, but do not thaw before using.

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Recipe: Blueberry Crumb Bars (2024)

FAQs

What is blueberry crumble made of? ›

Make filling: Combine blueberries, brown sugar, and lemon zest in a large bowl. Pour filling into the prepared baking dish. Make topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, oats, butter, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg in a medium bowl; rub mixture between your fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle topping evenly over blueberries.

How many calories in a blueberry crumble bar? ›

Blueberry crumble bars, blueberry crumble by Abbott Laboratories Inc
Nutrition Facts
Calories240
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 9g12 %
Saturated Fat 4g20 %
27 more rows

What is the difference between blueberry crumble and blueberry cobbler? ›

Cobbler: A fruit dessert made with a top crust of pie dough or biscuit dough but no bottom crust. Crisp/crumble: In Alberta, the terms are mostly interchangeable. Both refer to fruit desserts similar to cobbler but made with a brown sugar streusel topping sometimes containing old-fashioned rolled oats.

What's the difference between blueberry crisp and crumble? ›

A crisp is extremely similar to a crumble in that it is a baked dessert made with fresh fruit and a crumbly streusel-esque topping. Originally, the difference between a crumble and a crisp, however, was an ingredient used in the topping: crisps would contain oats and crumbles would not.

Is blueberry crumble indica? ›

Blueberry Crumble is a potent indica-dominant hybrid that produces euphoric effects that are physically relaxing and fast-acting. It has a pungent aroma with earthy undertones of citrus and a beautiful appearance with dark purple buds and bright orange hairs.

How many calories are in a homemade crumble? ›

Nutrition
Calories 197(823 kJ)
Polyunsaturated Fat1 g
Monounsaturated Fat2.8 g
Carbohydrate34.5 g
Sugars21.1 g
12 more rows

How many carbs are in blueberry crumble? ›

½ cup of blueberry crumble contains 90 Calories, 17 grams of carbs, 5 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fat. This has a relatively low calorie density, with 132 Calories per 100g.

What is crumble topping made of? ›

As its name suggests, crumb topping is a dessert topping. It's a simple mixture of butter, sugar, and flour, and is typically used to top pies or muffins prior to baking for a crunchy, sweet contrast.

What is fruit crumble made of? ›

Mix fruit wiht 1 T flour, 1 T sugar and the cinnamon. Crumble together flour, brown sugar, butter and oatmeal. Butter a 9x9 pan and pour in fruit. Top with crumble and bake at 350 degrees until browned and bubbly.

What does fruit crumble contain? ›

Toss the fruit with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and any spices in a large bowl. Use more sugar and less lemon juice when cooking with tart fruits, like rhubarb and blackberries, and less sugar but more lemon juice for sweet fruits, like peaches and plums. Best is to taste a piece of fruit and adjust to taste.

What is crumble cake made of? ›

Ingredients for Crumb Cake

Flour: All-purpose flour is the structure of this cake. It's sturdy enough to support the thick wet ingredients and crumb layer on top. Baking Soda + Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder help the cake rise. Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cake.

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