Strawberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars (Printable)
Sweet strawberry filling nestled between buttery oat crust and crumble, baked until golden. Makes 12 bars.
# What You Need:
→ Crust and Crumble
01 - 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
02 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
07 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Strawberry Filling
08 - 2 cups diced fresh strawberries
09 - 1 tablespoon lemon juice
10 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
11 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the surface.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine rolled oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
03 - Pour melted unsalted butter over the oat mixture and blend until the texture is crumbly.
04 - Reserve 1 cup of the crumble mixture for later. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared pan, creating a solid crust layer.
05 - In a separate bowl, combine diced fresh strawberries, lemon juice, cornstarch, and granulated sugar. Toss gently until the fruit is evenly coated.
06 - Distribute the strawberry filling evenly over the pressed crust in the pan.
07 - Sprinkle the reserved cup of oat crumble evenly over the strawberry layer.
08 - Transfer the pan to the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 38 minutes, until the topping is golden and the fruit layer is bubbling at the edges.
09 - Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Once cooled, lift them out using the parchment paper and cut into bars.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The crumble topping turns golden and crisp, secretly stealing the show from the fruit every time.
- It’s an easy, one-bowl situation for the base, which means less cleanup and more time to enjoy a fresh bar with coffee.
02 -
- If you rush slicing before the bars cool, the filling slides out and turns into a happy mess (delicious, but not neat bars).
- Switching to parchment paper made lifting and cutting the bars a breeze instead of a crumbly disaster.
03 -
- I always retest the bars by gently pressing the center—if it springs back a bit, it&aposs done.
- For extra crunch, toast your oats briefly in a skillet before mixing; it deepens their flavor beautifully.