Strawberry Crumble Bars
I love a bar, it’s true. Not the alcoholic kind, I’m not even old enough for that! I’m talking about a dessert bar. It’s a flavorful remix of the brownie tradition. One baking sheet pan can help you create a masterpiece. And in this recipe, we’re taking the sweetness of strawberries (get ‘em while it’s still the summertime, folks!) and adding a buttery crumble to it. Get into this recipe if you want a delightfully diverse texture and flavor profile to bless your tastebuds.
I love a crumble bar. A buttery, crumbly texture can liven up anyone’s day, truly. But more importantly, that buttery crumble tastes heavenly when paired with a sweet, tart, and ripened strawberry. The key to a delicious strawberry crumble bar is creating a well-balanced shortbread base. Shortbread is very easy to make, and it’s a great way to hone baking basics. One big tip is to be precise with your shortbread recipe so that the consistency is *just* right. Don’t make it too stiff or too crumbly. This recipe really needs a good and balanced texture to really stand out.
The best part about this recipe is how it relies on simple, all-natural ingredients to create a super delicious final product.
Strawberry Crumb Bars
What you will need:
3 cups chopped strawberries
¼ cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ cup granulated white sugar
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup of cold salted butter
1 large egg
½ teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 Lemon
Making the bars:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Prepare a 9’’ x 13’’ pan by greasing and lining it with parchment paper.
Combine together the chopped strawberries, ¼ cup white sugar and cornstarch to create your strawberry mix.
In separate bowl, combine together the ½ cup white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, flour and lemon zest to create your dry mix.
Cut your butter into tiny cubes and mix into your dry mixture.
Using your hands or a fork, smash the flour and butter together to create small clumps. Don’t overwork it.
Add in an egg and mix. When you finish combining, your dough will be crumbly to the touch. This is your shortbread base.
Add half of the prepared mixture into the prepared pan. Press the mixture firmly into the pan to create a uniform crust.
Add the strawberry mixture to the top of the shortbread crust.
Take the remaining butter/flour mixture and crumble it over the strawberries.
Bake the pan in your preheated oven for about 25-35 minutes or until the strawberries are bubbling. If the crumble is golden brown, it’s ready to be taken out.
Make sure the bars to cool completely before slicing! For best results, place the crumble recipe in the refrigerator for a few hours to fully cool down. This allows you to get clean slices when you cut it. I also just think they taste best when cold!