Strawberry Crumble Bars

I absolutely love strawberries so when I see them on sale in grocery stores, I can't keep myself from buying some and making a treat. I've had these Strawberry Crumble Bars pinned for a while now and I'm so excited to tell you how amazing they are!

They're such a great way to use fresh, ripe strawberries that balances out the sweet with a little saltiness.

These bars are so soft, fluffy and have the best flavor. They'd be perfect for your upcoming summer BBQ!

What I'm trying to say is, the next time you see strawberries on sale, make sure you buy yourself a couple of pounds to make this. You will love it!

Strawberry Crumble Bars

Adapted from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Crust/Crumb Topping

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oatmeal

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

14 Tbsp. (7 oz.) cold butter, cut into cubes

Filling

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

8 Tbsp. (4 oz.) butter, melted

1 large egg

Strawberry Mixture

2 lbs. fresh strawberries, diced

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a *9x13-inch pan and set aside.

2. For the crust, in a large bowl combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Toss in the cubed butter and cut it into the dry mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Measure out 1 cup of the mixture and set it aside for later.

3. Press the rest of the crust into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for 8 minutes.

While the crust bakes, make the filling by whisking together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center and pour in the butter and egg. Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and combined – it will be pretty thick.

4. Crumble this mixture over the warm crust and pat into a relatively even layer. 

5. In a medium bowl, toss the diced strawberries with the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and vanilla. Spread evenly over the filling and sprinkle the reserved 1 cup crust/crumble mixture over the top.

6. Bake the bars for 40-45 minutes until they are just lightly golden around the edges and the center is no longer soft/jiggly.

7. Cool completely in the pan. Cut into bars and serve. Store the bars in the fridge to preserve them.

*You can easily half this recipe and place it in a 8x8 or 9x9-inch pan and bake it for the same amount of time.