Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

I was going to call these blueberry breakfast bars. Or blueberry snack bars.

But anytime you feel like eating juicy blueberries with buttery oat crumbles is the kind of bar they are.

It’s an easy, one bowl, no mixer recipe that takes just minutes to make. I adapted the recipe from Blueberry Pie Bars by reducing some of the flour and adding oats to the crust and crumble mixture. The oats add such great texture.

The crust and crumble topping are one in the same. Love it when that happens so there’s one less step and one less bowl to wash.

I eliminated the Greek yogurt, sugar, and egg from the filling and kept the focus on the blueberries.

The bars aren’t overly sweet and the blueberry flavor shines beautifully, which is why they’re great for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or a healthy dessert.

They’re soft and tender, yet slightly chewy from the oats, and I’m a sucker for anything with a crumble topping.

My daughter said they’re one of the best ‘desserts’ I’ve made in a long time. I made the bars on a Sunday and had breakfast ready to grab-and-go for her for the week. One less thing to worry about on busy weekday mornings. Loved that.

An easy, one bowl, no-mixer recipe that takes just minutes to make. The crust and crumble topping are one in the same so there’s one less step and one less bowl to wash. The bars aren’t overly sweet and the blueberry flavor shines beautifully, making them great for breakfast, brunch, snacks, or a healthy dessert. They’re soft and tender, yet slightly chewy from the oats, and I’m a sucker for anything with a crumble topping. I made the bars on a Sunday and had breakfast ready to grab-and-go for the week.

YIELD: one 8×8 pan, 8 generous wedges

PREP TIME: 10 minutes

COOK TIME: about 55 minutes

TOTAL TIME: about 90 minutes, for cooling

INGREDIENTS:

Crust and Crumble Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (don’t use quick cook or instant, they’re finer and behave like flour and will make mixture too dry)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
pinch salt, optional and to taste

Blueberry Layer
12 ounces (2 cups) blueberries (fresh or frozen; I used frozen and didn’t thaw)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside. Lining the pan helps with cleanup and is recommended.
Crust and Crumble Topping - In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
Add the flour, oats, sugars, optional salt, and stir to combine. Mixture will be dry and sandy with some larger, well-formed crumble pieces.
Set 1 heaping cup mixture aside to be sprinkled on later as crumble topping.
Transfer remaining mixture to prepared pan, and using a spatula or your fingers, hard-pack the mixture to create an even, smooth, flat crust; set aside.
Blueberry Layer - In a large mixing bowl (same one used for crust and crumble is okay), add all ingredients and toss to combine. If sugar hasn’t dissolved fully that’s okay because it liquifies while baking.
Evenly distribute blueberry mixture over the crust.
Evenly sprinkle with the reserved heaping 1 cup crumble topping mixture. Before sprinkling, I squeeze the mixture in my palm to encourage bigger crumble pieces to form.
Bake for about 55 minutes, or until edges are set and center has just set. Crumble topping should appear set and very pale golden. I used frozen berries without thawing and the pan was very cold going into the oven. If using fresh berries, baking time will be reduced, but I’m not sure by how much, I’d guess at least 10-15 minutes, possibly less. Bars may take longer than 55 minutes if blueberries are very juicy. Watch your bars, not the clock, when evaluating doneness. Place pan on a wire rack and allow bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. If you try to slice bars before they’ve cooled completely, they’ll be extremely messy and could fall apart. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Content and Images from: averiecooks.com

Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars