These Strawberry Crumble Bars are the perfect sweet treat! Made with fresh strawberries, brown sugar, and oats, they’re a simple and easy dessert for summer.
One of my favorite parts of summer here in Connecticut is the bounty of produce found at my local farm stand. Whenever I see those rows of locally-grown fruits and vegetables, I feel like a kid in a candy store! And what better way to capture the essence of summer than with a batch of homemade Strawberry Crumble Bars? This recipe is bursting with juicy, local strawberries on a crumbly, buttery crust – the perfect dessert to share for a cook-out, or to simply enjoy with a cup of tea or iced strawberry milk on a summer afternoon.
I grew up picking strawberries every year at my local farm, a highlight of my summers. There was something so peaceful about kneeling in a fragrant strawberry field, picking strawberries, taking the occasional bite bursting with sweet juice. I’ve tried to encompass that feeling here, using fresh strawberries cooked down with a little orange juice and honey for enhanced sweetness.
Even though I’m not a huge sweets person, I’ve been making these bars ever since I developed the recipe in 2019. Before my Granny passed, I used to make batches of these and bring them to her house to eat together. Granny was definitely a little bit of a food critic (lol) but she LOVED these bars. Even though she’s been gone for over two years now, I still think of her every time I make these bars. I hope you love these as much as I do! Enjoy! :)
Strawberry Crumble Bars FAQs
What to do if my strawberry crumble topping is too dry/wet?
If the crumble topping mixture is too dry, add in a little extra butter (about 1 tsp at a time). If it’s too wet, add in about 1 tsp of flour at a time, or more oats.
How long do strawberry crumble bars last?
I recommend keeping these in the fridge no more than 4-5 days to ensure best quality.
How to make strawberry crumble bars without a mixer?
Luckily, you don’t need a mixer for this recipe! You just need a mixing spoon, a whisk, and a spatula!
What to serve with strawberry crumble bars?
These are DELICIOUS with vanilla bean ice cream or gelato, but you can serve them with any ice cream you like! In the photo above, I served a stack of two crumble bars with vanilla bean gelato and a little drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil. Other great ideas to serve these with include fresh whipped cream or Chantilly cream, homemade caramel sauce, or cups of espresso.
Is it better to serve strawberry crumble bars warm or cold?
You definitely want to serve them at room temperature for best flavor!
Can I make strawberry crumble bars ahead of time?
While I recommend making these crumble bars the same day as you will be serving them, you can definitely make them hours before you need to! Just let them stay at room temperature until serving. You can make them a day or too ahead of time, but the quality of the bars will not be as fresh if they’re been refrigerated overnight.
Strawberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
- 4 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/4 Tsp Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 5 Tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey
- 1-2 Tbsp Water
Filling
- 2 1/2 Cups Chopped Fresh Strawberries about 1 lb
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup or Honey
- 2 Tbsp Orange Juice freshly squeezed
Crumble
- 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats
- 2 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1/8 Tsp Cinnamon
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- To start, make the filling. Add the strawberries, maple syrup, and orange juice into a saucepan. Heat until the mixture starts bubbling, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 7-10 minutes, STIRRING FREQUENTLY, until mixture is thickened. Set aside and let cool.
- Then, make the crust. Add the dry crust ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. Then, add the rest of the crust ingredients and mix until incorporated. There should be no loose flour, but mixture will be crumbly.
- Line a 8×8" square pan with parchment paper. Add in the crust mixture ONLY, pressing down with your hands until a flat layer is formed.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F.
- While the crust is baking, make the crumble by adding the crumble ingredients to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients until it starts to clump up. Then, use your hands to keep mixing until there is no more loose flour in the bowl.
- After 10 minutes, take the crust out and add the strawberry filling on top. Spread the filling out with a spatula until it's in an even layer. On top of that, add the crumble in as even of a layer as possible.
- Put the pan back in the oven for 20-25 minutes.
- When done cooking, LET THE CRUMBLE COOL for at least 15 minutes before cutting. If you try to cut the bars too soon, they'll likely fall apart.
- Once the crumble has cooled down, cut into bars of any size you'd like.
- These are especially delicious when served with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
- Be sure to stir frequently when making the strawberry filling to prevent burning.
- The reason you need to let the bars cool before cutting is to let the butter have time to solidify.
- When I serve these bars, I cut them into nine square pieces. However, you can cut them however you’d like!
- These bars will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days. Be sure to let bars cool completely before refrigerating. Bring them to room temperature before serving.
P.S.
For more recipes and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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