These strawberry crumble bars are sure to become your go-to summer treat! They feature a crispy, buttery shortbread base, a sweet layer of juicy strawberries and a golden oat crumble topping. Best of all, you can whip them up in just 20 minutes with only 8 simple ingredients.
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♥️ Why You Will Love This Recipe
Strawberry crumble bars scream summer in every bite, with their sweet and soft strawberry filling perfectly complementing the crunchy texture of the topping. This recipe is also:
- Vegan friendly
- Made with only 8 easy-to-find ingredients
- A great way to use up fresh strawberries
- Quick and easy, with the crust being the same for the top and bottom
🥣 Ingredients You Will Need
- Flour – All-purpose flour works well in this recipe. I recommend using a digital kitchen scale, because flour can be very tricky to measure. But, if you’re using measuring cups, make sure to use the spoon-and-level method. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and then level off any excess flour with the back of a knife.
- Rolled oats – Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not quick oats. This gives the bars a nice chewy texture, whereas quick oats are too soft and will turn into mush while baking.
- Sugar – Use regular, granulated sugar or replace it with coconut sugar to make the bars free from refined sugar.
- Vanilla extract – Adds the distinct sweet aroma. The higher the quality of your vanilla extract, the better the taste.
- Coconut oil – Use refined coconut oil, which has a practically non-existent coconut flavour. If you’re using measuring cups, make sure to measure melted coconut oil.
- Strawberries – It’s best to use fresh strawberries. I wouldn’t recommend using frozen fruits for this recipe, as the bars might turn out too soggy.
- Cornstarch – Thickening agent that helps to create that creamy fruit filling.
- Agave syrup – Slightly sweetens the filling. You can replace it with sugar or a different liquid sweetener.
📝 Substitutions and Variations
- Make them gluten free – Replace all-purpose flour with the same amount of gluten-free flour blend that's suitable for baking.
- Add some crunch – You can add chopped almonds, pecans or walnuts to the topping for extra flavour and texture.
- Make them refined sugar free – Swap out the granulated sugar for coconut sugar.
📋 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step One: Make the strawberry filling.
Roughly chop strawberries into equally sized pieces. In a large mixing bowl, toss them with agave syrup and cornstarch, then set aside.
Step Two: Make the crumble.
Mix flour, rolled oats, sugar and vanilla together, then drizzle over melted coconut oil. Mix to combine. The texture should be slightly crumbly, with several lumps sticking together.
Step Three: Press in the crust and bake it.
Press two thirds of the crumble into the base of the prepared baking tin, and prick the base gently with a fork. Bake the base for 20 minutes or until it is golden brown.
Step Four: Add filling.
Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and spread the mixture evenly over the oat crust.
Step Five: Add the crumble and bake.
Sprinkle the strawberries with the remaining third of the dough and place the tin back in the oven. Bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble slightly.
Step Six: Cool, slice and serve!
Remove the pan from the oven and wait for it to cool down completely, then slice it into 9 bars.
💬 Strawberry Crumble Bars FAQs
The recipe makes 9 bars, baked in an 8-inch square pan.
Yes! Crumble bars naturally don't include eggs and this recipe uses coconut oil for fat. However, you can also use unsalted butter instead of coconut oil if you're not vegan.
You can keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, let them cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminium foil and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag. You can store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
No! Pre-baking the crust helps it stay crisp and prevents it from getting soggy when you add the strawberry filling. It also makes the bars easier to cut as it gives them a nice firm base.
🍓 More Strawberry Recipes
If you're a fan of strawberries, make sure to check out these strawberry muffins, strawberry pie, 8-ingredient strawberry crumble or my favourite strawberry overnight oats.
Strawberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 1 lb strawberries
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 ¼ cup + 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup coconut oil, melted
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 320°F (160°C). Lightly grease and line 8' x 8' baking tin with baking paper, leaving plenty of overhang.
- Roughly chop strawberries into equally sized pieces. In a large mixing bowl, toss them with agave syrup and cornstarch, then set aside.
- Mix rolled oats, flour, sugar and vanilla together, then drizzle over melted coconut oil. Mix to combine. The texture should be slightly crumbly, with several lumps sticking together.
- Press two thirds of the crumble firmly into the base of the prepared baking tin, using your fingers or the back of a spoon. Prick the base gently with a fork. Bake the base for 20 minutes or until it is golden brown.
- Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and spread the mixture evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the strawberries with the remaining third of the dough and place the pan back in the oven. Bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble slightly.
- Remove the pan from the oven and wait for it to cool down completely, then slice it into 9 bars.
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