Description
Strawberry bars bring pure joy straight from your kitchen, combining fresh fruit and buttery crust into a delightful dessert that sings of summer. Grab some ripe strawberries and get ready to create a simple treat your family will absolutely adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh strawberries
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter
Supporting Ingredients:
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup rolled oats
Flavor Enhancers:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2–4 tablespoons ice water
Instructions
- Mix 1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup powdered sugar, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
- Cut ½ cup cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture using your fingertips until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add 2-4 tablespoons ice water gradually, stirring gently until the dough barely holds together.
- Shape the dough into a flat disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes at 40°F.
- Heat your oven to 375°F and roll the chilled dough to fit a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- Transfer the dough to the pan, pressing it evenly across the bottom and slightly up the sides. Poke several holes in the dough with a fork.
- Bake the crust at 375°F for 15-20 minutes until light golden brown.
- Slice 4 cups of fresh strawberries into even pieces.
- Combine strawberries with ¾ cup granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Allow the strawberry mixture to rest for 10 minutes, letting the flavors meld.
- Mix ¾ cup flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ½ cup rolled oats, and ½ teaspoon cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Cut ½ cup cold, cubed butter into the dry ingredients until crumbly.
- Remove the pre-baked crust from the oven and spread the strawberry filling evenly across the surface.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping uniformly over the strawberry layer.
- Bake at 375°F for 30-35 minutes until the topping turns golden and the filling bubbles.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Cut into square servings and enjoy at room temperature.
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly to ensure a flaky, tender crust that won’t shrink during baking.
- Let strawberries macerate with sugar before adding to the filling, which helps release their natural juices and intensify the fruit flavor.
- Use cold butter and work quickly when making the crumble topping to achieve a crisp, crumbly texture that won’t become dense.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free blend and use certified gluten-free oats in the crumble topping.
- Prep Time: 50 minutes
- Cook Time: 45-55 minutes
- Category: Dessert Bars
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 213
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 42 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 29 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg