Easy Berry Bars Recipe

Berry bars stacked vertically on a white serving dish.

5 from 1 vote

The next time you have summer berries to use up, give these Berry Crumble Bars a try! I brought a batch to work recently and have already had multiple requests to make them again - that's how you know they're worth it! I love how the buttery crumble doubles as both the crust and topping, plus they are excellent for making ahead or stashing in the freezer.

Prep Time20

Cook Time35

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 213kcal

Author: Misty

Equipment

9x9 baking pan

Ingredients

Crust and Topping

¾ cup (12 tbsp) butter
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ¼ cups old-fashioned whole oats (not instant)
¾ cup brown sugar packed
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Berry Filling

12 oz mixed berries frozen or fresh (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries)
2 tablespoon brown sugar packed
1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Topping (optional)

¼ cup powdered sugar
1-3 teaspoon whole milk

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x9 pan with a parchment sling and spray it with baking spray (make sure flour is one of the ingredients in a spray for a true non-stick effect).
In a medium pot on the stove, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking the butter, stirring often, for 5-8 minutes, or until it is foamy and a medium golden brown color. *See the notes for full tutorials.
¾ cup (12 tbsp) butter
In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, vanilla, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until no large clumps remain. Pour the warm browned butter into the bowl and mix well with a spatula. Reserve about 1 cup of this mixture for the topping.
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ¼ cups old-fashioned whole oats, ¾ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Pour the rest of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press it evenly and firmly into the pan (you can use your hands, a tamper, a spoon, or the bottom of a measuring cup). Bake for 10 minutes.
While the crust is baking, combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in a medium pot over medium heat (you can use the same pan you used for the butter, no need to wash it). Cook the mixture, stirring often and gently mashing the berries, until the mixture is thickened, glossy, and no watery-liquid remains. Frozen berries take about 5-6 minutes on my stove, but fresh berries cook a little faster.
12 oz mixed berries , 2 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Pour the sauce over the warm crust and carefully spread it evenly across the top, all the way to the edges. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture on top. Leave some berry spots showing to help the bars turn out pretty.
Bake the bars for another 20-25 minutes, until the crumb topping is golden and berries are bubbly on the edges. Then cool them completely in the pan.
If using icing, combine the powdered sugar and milk in a bowl, adding more milk if needed to reach a loose, drizzle consistency. Use the sling to remove the bars from the pan. Drizzle with icing or dust with powdered sugar. Then use a long sharp knife to cut them into 16 squares.
¼ cup powdered sugar, 1-3 teaspoon whole milk

Notes

Tips and Tricks

Cook the berry sauce long enough to truly thicken it. It it's too thin, it will make the crust soggy or just slide off when you slice them.
As you sprinkle the crumble on top, gently squeeze it in your palm to create larger clumps.
The bars will be very soft when warm. Allow them to cool completely or even refrigerate before slicing if you want them to hold a nice shape.
Wait to add the powdered sugar or icing on top until right before slicing for the prettiest look.

Storage and make ahead notes: Make these as directed, cool completely, then seal tightly with plastic wrap. Store in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Freezing instructions: Wrap the whole pan tightly in plastic wrap and tinfoil, or slice the bars and wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then place in a freeze zipper bag. Freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw at room temperature on the counter for a few hours (they thaw pretty fast depending on the temperature of your house).

Brown Butter Tutorials:

Nutrition