Blueberry Crumble Bars are buttery, sweet and loaded with juicy, fresh blueberries. These are the perfect summery blueberry dessert!
Love blueberries? Make sure to try my super easy Blueberry Cobbler recipe!
Easy Blueberry Crumble Bars
If you love a good fruit dessert for the summer, and want to do something a little different than a cobbler or fruit salad, these Blueberry Crumble Bars are exactly what you’re looking for! These sweet bars are always the hit of every BBQ, party, or event, and I’m constantly being asked for the recipe!
The Crumble Topping Is Also the Crust!
What makes these blueberry bars so easy is that the crumb topping is also the crust! This makes the prep step extra easy! The crumb topping is a buttery streusel-style layer that you simply press half of into the bottom of the pan and then top with the remaining mixture.
It’s sweet and rich, with the perfect texture thanks to the rolled oats!
Ingredients:
This recipe contains two parts, the blueberries and the crumble mixture. The simplicity is what makes it such a great recipe. Find the full ingredient list at the bottom of the post in the printable recipe card.
Crumble Mixture: All purpose flour, old fashioned oats, light brown sugar, salt, butter, and granulated sugar.
Blueberry Mixture: Cornstarch, blueberries, and lemon juice
How To Make Blueberry Crumble Bars:
Crumble Mixture: In your blender or food processor pulse together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt until combined. Add in the cold butter and pulse until combined and resembles very coarse sand.
Divide the mixture in half and press half of it into a greased 9×9 pan. Set this aside.
Filling: In a large bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add in the blueberries and coat in the sugar mixture. Add in the lemon juice and stir to combine.
Spread the blueberries on top of the crust. and then spread the remaining crust mixture on top of the blueberries evenly and press lightly into the blueberries. Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes.
Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes until the fruit starts to bubble.
Tips When Making Blueberry Crumble Bars:
What I love most about this recipe is that it’s very easy. Here are a few tips to make the process super simple!
I use my blender to combine the ingredients, but you can easily use a food processor. Or if elbow grease and a pastry cutter is your favorite method use “Quick Oats” in place of the old fashioned.
Coating the fresh blueberries in sugar and cornstarch makes a sweet filling and also thickens it up thanks to the cornstarch!
The blueberries will begin to bubble as they bake. This means the bars are just about done! Don’t over-bake the bars, as this will make the crust and the topping too hard to cut successfully. Trust me on this!
Can You Use Frozen Blueberries?
Yes you absolutely can, just thaw out the blueberries and pat them dry! This is a great recipe to make during blueberry season when they are the ripest, but frozen blueberries are a great alternate! I always buy or pick extra blueberries during peak season so I can freeze and enjoy them all year long!
Variations:
Add some lemon! Lemon and blueberry pair amazingly well, and you can easily add in some lemon to this recipe. You already add in some lemon juice to the filling, but go ahead and zest that lemon too and add the zest into the crumble mixture.
Use Other Berries. You can absolutely sub in blackberries or raspberries for the blueberries in this recipe, or go ahead and add a combo of all 3!
Add in some cinnamon. Cinnamon added into the crumble mixture can add a warm spice to the topping. Just a teaspoon will do!
How Do You Store These Blueberry Bars?
I recommend storing these bars in the refrigerator, airtight, for up to 3 days. You CAN store them at room temperature, but I would only advise doing that for 1 overnight. The moisture in the blueberries will cause the topping to get a little soggy, and the refrigeration helps slow this process!
Can You Freeze Blueberry Crumble Bars?
Yes, absolutely! These bars freeze very well! Allow them to thaw in the refrigerator, and you can enjoy them chilled, or at room temperature!
Crumble Mixture: In your blender or food processor pulse together flour, oats, brown sugar and salt until combined. Add in the cold butter and pulse until combined and resembles very coarse sand.
Divide the mixture in half and press half into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Set aside.
Filling: In a large bowl whisk together the granulated sugar and cornstarch. Add in the blueberries and coat in the sugar mixture. Add in the lemon juice and stir to combine.
Spread the blueberries on top of the crust.
Finally spread the remaining crust mixture on top of the blueberries and press lightly.
Refrigerate the pan for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake for 35-40 minutes until the fruit starts to bubble.
Notes
Don’t over-bake, as the crust will become too hard. Chilling the bars before baking is not optional!
Store airtight in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: cookies and cups, blueberry dessert, blueberry crumble, bar desserts, summer desserts
