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Cozy Fresh Strawberry Crumble Bars

fresh strawberry crumble bars - featured image
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These easy homemade oat streusel bars feature a buttery, crumbly oat topping with a fresh, lightly sweetened strawberry filling. Perfect for a quick dessert or a comforting brunch treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan lightly with butter or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
  2. Make the crust: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Add 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) cold, cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or fingers to blend until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Press evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.
  3. Prepare the strawberry filling: While the crust bakes, toss sliced strawberries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and vanilla extract if using. Mix gently to coat evenly.
  4. Make the oat streusel topping: In another bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 cup rolled oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Add remaining 1 stick (8 tablespoons) cold butter, cut into small pieces. Mix with a fork or fingers until crumbly but slightly chunky.
  5. Assemble the bars: Remove crust from oven. Spread strawberry filling evenly over warm crust. Sprinkle oat streusel topping generously over berries.
  6. Bake again: Return pan to oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and filling bubbles around edges. If topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil halfway through.
  7. Cool completely: Let bars cool in pan on wire rack for at least 2 hours to allow filling to set.
  8. Slice and serve: Use parchment paper overhang to lift bars out of pan. Cut into squares or rectangles. Serve alone or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

Use cold butter for crumbly topping. Avoid overmixing streusel to keep texture light. Use firm, fresh strawberries to prevent sogginess. If using frozen berries, thaw and drain well and add extra cornstarch if needed. Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean cuts. Bars can be chilled before slicing for neater edges.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry crumble bars, oat streusel bars, easy dessert, homemade bars, fresh strawberry dessert, crumble topping, quick dessert, brunch dessert

Find it online: https://magnetmeal.com/cozy-fresh-strawberry-crumble-bars-recipe-easy-homemade-oat-streusel-bars/