These soft and crumbly Blueberry Crumb Bars will melt in your mouth they will remind you of your favorite homemade blueberry pie, but they are so much easier to make! They are the perfect summer dessert with fresh blueberries and a pop of lemon.
Blueberry Crumble – but in a bar!
Blueberry lovers, get ready for your new favorite dessert! Blueberry Crumb Bars are the ultimate fresh blueberry dessert. Warm and gooey blueberry filling is sandwiched in a crunchy homemade crumble topping, topped with a melting scoop of vanilla ice cream. Is your mouth watering yet? These homemade dessert bars are equal parts decadent and delicious while being light and fruity!
Better than a blueberry pie or homemade blueberry crumble! These blueberry crumb bars will be your new go-to fresh blueberry dessert!
They are so easy to make and only take about 10 minutes to prep, which makes them a great option if you need a simple and quick dessert. Whether you’re making these as a treat after a family dinner or as a dish to pass at a potluck, these will definitely be a hit. Get ready to be asked for the recipe… a lot.
Why We Love This Blueberry Crumb Bar Recipe
- Fresh blueberry dessert
- Ready in less than an hour
- Crumbly and crispy homemade topping, almost like a blueberry cobbler or blueberry crumble
- Delicious when topped off with vanilla ice cream or whipped topping
- Light and refreshing fruity dessert
- Can be made with a variety of fruit such as strawberry or raspberry crumb bars
Ingredients/Shopping List
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Brown sugar
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon
- Allspice – If you don’t like or don’t have allspice you can substitute more cinnamon or nutmeg.
- Salt
- Cold salted butter – You can use unsalted butter but I recommend adding an additional ⅛-¼ teaspoon of salt if you do.
- Egg
- Lemon zest
- Vanilla extract
- Fresh blueberries – You can use frozen blueberries instead, in a 1 to 1 ratio, but see the FAQ below for additional changes.
- Lemon juice – I always like this recipe better with fresh lemon juice but you can use concentrate in a pinch. You can also substitute lime juice.
- Cornstarch
SEE FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BELOW
How to Make Blueberry Crumb Bars
- Mix together flour, granulated and brown sugars, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, and salt in a food processor.
Pro-tip: You do not need to use a food processor, but it does save you some prep time. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter to incorporate the dough together.
- Add cubed butter and pulse to make small crumbs. Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and mix.
- Divide dough in half and spread one half into the 8×8 prepared pan.
- Mix together blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Spread blueberry mixture on top of the crust in the pan.
- Spread the remaining crust on top of the blueberries.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes and serve with a scoop of ice cream!
PRO-TIP: Let the bars set for 1-2 hours after baking so that the berry layer can set sufficiently. If you cut it before then be prepared for a mess (though it will be a delicious mess)
Storage Tips
Store in the refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Store in the freezer: Freeze for up to 6 months in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Be sure to use parchment paper between the bars if you layer them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freeze for up to 6 months in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Be sure to use parchment paper between the bars if you layer them.
You can definitely use frozen blueberries in this recipe, here are a couple of tips to get the best results:
– Never wash or thaw the frozen blueberries, just use them directly from the freezer.
– Add an extra 2-3 teaspoons of cornstarch, this will help keep the blueberry layer thick instead of being too liquidy at the end.
– You will want to bake the bars for longer until the berry layer is bubbling slightly.
We used an 8×8 inch square baking pan: A 9×9 inch pan can be used if needed. It will result in thinner bars and you will need to cook the bars for 5-10 minutes less than in an 8×8 inch pan.
Other Easy Blueberry Recipes
Blueberry Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Crumb Crust
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp allspice
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) cold salted butter cut into 1” cubes
- 1 large egg
- 1½ tsp lemon zest about ½ of a lemon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Blueberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon juice about ¼ of a lemon
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Spray an 8×8 inch square baking pan with cooking spray, or line with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, mix together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice and salt.
- Add the cubed butter and pulse until small crumbs form.
- Add the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and pulse to mix.
- Divide the dough in half. Spread and lightly press one half of the dough into the prepared pan. It should be slightly crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- In a separate bowl, gently mix together the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch.
- Spread the blueberry mixture on top of the pressed crust.
- Spread the remaining crumbs evenly on top of the blueberries and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is slightly brown.
- Let cool completely before cutting. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Jenn’s Notes
- You do not need to use a food processor, but it does save you some prep time. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a pastry cutter to incorporate the dough together.
- We used an 8×8 inch square baking pan: A 9×9 inch pan can be used if needed. It will result in thinner bars and you will need to cook the bars for 5-10 minutes less than in an 8×8 inch pan.
- Let the bars set for 1-2 hours after baking so that the berry layer can set sufficiently. If you cut it before then be prepared for a mess (though it will be a delicious mess)
is there a way to make the blueberry cheesecake bars for a diabetic?