Description
Ready in about an hour with minimal prep, this recipe for blueberry bars delivers a buttery crust with a jammy, lemon-kissed berry filling and a tender crumble topping. Use fresh blueberries when they’re in season or frozen ones any time, either works beautifully.
Ingredients
CRUST & CRUMBLE:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- zest of one lemon, finely grated
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
BLUEBERRY FILLING:
- Juice of one lemon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (*see Stevia note below)
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 cups fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix the blueberries with the juice of one lemon, 1/2 cup sugar, and 4 teaspoons cornstarch. Set it aside to macerate while you assemble the dough.h
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, and the zest of one lemon.
- Using your hands, a fork, or a pastry blender, work in the cold butter until the mix looks like coarse crumbs. You can also use a food processor if you prefer, but be careful not to over-pulse.
- Stir in the egg just until combined.
- Press half of the dough into an even layer on the bottom of your prepared baking pan.
- Pour the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Then scatter the remaining dough over the berry layer.
- Bake for 45 minutes or until the top turns golden and the juices are bubbling at the edges.
- Let the bars cool fully before slicing. For neat blueberry squares, chill the pan first and use a sharp, non-serrated knife for slicing.
Notes
- Frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh, no thawing needed. You may need to add an additional teaspoon of cornstarch to account for the extra moisture and bake for a few minutes longer.
- When making the berry filling, I’ve swapped out the sugar for ½ tablespoon of Stevia and didn’t notice any difference in flavor.
- For extra citrus flavor in the crust, rub the lemon zest into the sugar before adding the other dry ingredients — this is a tip I learned from Deb at Smitten Kitchen.
- If you want a crunchier base, parbake the bottom layer for 10 minutes (optional).
- This recipe is easy to scale. Double it for a larger batch or halve it for a smaller batch.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 45
- Category: Eat
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Brownies & Bars