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Strawberry Crumb Bars

Strawberry crumb bars with a golden, buttery oat crust and ruby-red strawberry filling layered in between crumbly tops. Baked until golden brown, then cooled just enough to slice neat bars with visible filling streaks.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
rest 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 310
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crumb crust and topping
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 0.25 tsp salt
Strawberry filling
  • 2 cup fresh strawberries, chopped
  • 0.25 cup cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the bars
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F and set a rack to the middle position, then grease a 9x13 inch baking pan so the crust releases cleanly.
  2. Mix all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt until evenly combined, with no visible sugar lumps.
  3. Cut in the softened butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, looking sandy and clumpy rather than smooth.
  4. Press half of the crumb mixture into the greased 9x13 inch baking pan, pressing firmly so the base holds together.
  5. In a bowl, toss chopped strawberries with cornstarch, granulated sugar, and lemon juice until the berries look glossy and slightly thickened.
  6. Spread the strawberry mixture evenly over the crust, stopping short of the pan edges for tidy layers.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the strawberries and press down gently so the top stays crumbly but adheres.
  8. Bake for 33-35 minutes at 350°F until the top is golden brown and you can see the strawberry filling through the gaps.
  9. Cool for 15 minutes at room temperature before cutting into bars so the filling sets and the layers don’t slide.

Notes

For the cleanest slices, let the bars cool until the center is set (at least 15 minutes), then use a warm knife and wipe between cuts. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days; freeze up to 2 months. For a lower-sugar option, replace part of the granulated and brown sugar in both the crust and filling with a 1:1 baking sweetener (follow the package for conversion).