Description
These Strawberry Crumb Bars feature a buttery oat and flour crumb base topped with a sweet and tangy strawberry filling, finished with a delicate glaze for a perfect balance of flavors and textures—a perfect treat for any dessert lover.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Crumble
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted cold butter
- ¼ cup milk
Strawberry Filling
- 2 ½ cups strawberries, diced
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 ½ Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Tbsp powdered sugar
Glaze
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 3 tsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking the crumb bars.
- Mix dry ingredients for crust: In a medium bowl, combine 1 ½ cups flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and baking powder thoroughly.
- Cut in the butter: Slice the cold butter and add to the dry mixture. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into pea-sized pieces, creating a crumbly texture.
- Add milk and mix: Pour in ¼ cup milk and mix until the dough starts to come together, but still crumbly.
- Form base layer: Spray or line a 9”x9” baking dish with parchment paper. Press about 2/3 to 3/4 of the crumb mixture evenly into the dish to form the bottom crust. Set aside the remaining crumb mix for topping.
- Bake the crust: Bake this base for 30 minutes until it is slightly browned at the edges, indicating it’s set and partially baked.
- Prepare strawberry filling: While the crust bakes, lightly mash the diced strawberries in a bowl using a potato masher and drain excess juice to avoid sogginess.
- Mix strawberry filling: Add vanilla extract, cinnamon, 1 ½ Tbsp flour, and 1 ½ Tbsp powdered sugar to the mashed strawberries and stir until well combined.
- Add filling and topping: Remove the crust from the oven and evenly spoon the strawberry filling over it. Then sprinkle the remaining dry crumb mixture on top.
- Bake finished bars: Return the dish to the oven and bake for an additional 25 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool completely: Allow the bars to cool fully in the baking dish to set the filling and topping properly.
- Prepare and drizzle glaze: Mix ⅓ cup powdered sugar with 3 tsp milk to make a smooth glaze and drizzle it over the cooled bars before serving for a sweet finishing touch.
Notes
- Use cold butter to achieve a crumbly texture for the crust and topping.
- Draining the strawberry juice helps prevent soggy bars.
- Allow bars to cool completely before adding glaze to prevent it from melting.
- For extra crispiness, consider baking a few minutes longer if needed, watching closely to avoid burning.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
