These Blueberry Crumble Bars are jammy in the center, crispy on top and held together with a tasty, chewy bottom…Oh yeah, I’ll take two please! They’re easy to make with wholesome ingredients and I love how sweet and decadent they taste. Delicious breakfast bar? Blueberry dessert? I think these blueberry crumb bars are perfect any time of day!
This post has been updated from the original published on June 26, 2018.
Ingredient Notes
- DATES: The perfect natural sweetener for the jammy inside of these bars. Buy dates with the pits still in, they will be more moist. It is easy to remove the pit before using.
- CHIA SEEDS: Necessary to help the blueberry jam gel without cooking or cornstarch.
- ROLLED OATS: A fiber rich whole grain that is naturally gluten-free. I use sprouted oats for an easy to digest source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. I like to use Thrive Market Organic Oats or One Degree Organic Sprouted Oats. Whatever brand you use, be sure they are non-GMO and glyphosate free.
- ALMOND FLOUR: Make sure to get super fine, blanched almond flour (rather than almond meal) for best results.
- APPLESAUCE: I always keep individual servings of applesauce in my pantry for baking. It’s a great ingredient for oil-free and vegan baking. Or use my easy applesauce recipe to make your own and freeze in ½ cup silicone molds to always have some ready for baking recipes.
For thicker bars, use a square baking pan, for thinner, use a 9 x 13 baking dish. Either way, the directions are the same, it’s just a pan size difference….and a little bit different baking time.
How to make perfect Blueberry Bars
First you’ll prepare the jammy blueberry filling. Start by adding the blueberries, lemon juice and dates to the bowl of a food processor. Scrape down side and process again.
Next, you’ll stir chia seeds into the blueberry mixture to create the jammy filling for the blueberry crumb bars.
Set aside the jam to gel while you prepare the dough for the base and topping.
Rinse out the food processor and add in rolled oats, almond flour, ground flax, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, apple sauce, orange juice, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process until thoroughly mixed, scraping down the sides several times to be sure all the oats are well incorporated.
Now you are ready to assemble. Here’s what it will look like in a square pan, using both blueberries and one chopped nectarine for added moisture and flavor.
Scoop all but 1 cup of batter into prepared pan.
Use an offset spatula to smooth dough into pan evenly.
Spread blueberry jam onto dough.
Evenly distribute berries and, if using, chopped fruit.
Patch together remaining dough onto fruit.
Bake for 40 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven.
AND….here’s a little peek into the same process with a rectangular pan. See how the ingredients are “stretched” to be thinner.
It’s the same process if you use a rectangle pan. Hold aside 1-1 ½ cups of the dough. Spread the rest into the bottom of a parchment lined baking dish. Use an offset spatula to smoothly spread dough into corners so it’s even throughout pan. Spread the blueberry jam you set aside over the dough. Evenly sprinkle fresh berries over jam. Cobble together the remaining dough for the crumble top.
Next, you’ll bake the cumble bars in a preheated 350 degree oven. For a square pan, the bars will be thicker and the cooking time is 40 minutes. The thinner bars cooking in the larger rectangle pan will only take 30 minutes to bake.
Let the bars cool completely before cutting. I usually put the baking dish into the fridge for a few hours or overnight to make this task less messy. Also, you will get a cleaner, less gooey cut if you let them cool first.
Debra’s Pro Tips
- The dough will be sticky. Wet your hands, or your offset spatula to make it easier to spread into the pan.
- Refrigerate a few hours, or overnight, to make cutting into bars easier.
- No orange juice? No problem….substitute with water and 1 additional Tablespoon maple syrup to equal the sweetness.
- Cut into individual pieces before freezing so you can grab just what’s needed and leave the rest in there.
- Sprinkle a combination of blueberries and fresh raspberries onto the jam for a super patriotic dessert. Awesome for 4th of July, Memorial Day, Labor Day, or Veteran’s Day.
- Use frozen berries to make these any time of year.
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📖 Recipe
Blueberry Crumble Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 2 ½ cups super fine almond meal*
- 2 Tablespoons ground flax
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce*
- ½ cup orange juice
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 3 cups blueberries divided
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 4 dates
- 3 Tablespoons chia seeds
- Optional: 1 nectarine chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 and line 9 x 9* or 9 x 13 baking pan with unbleached parchment.
- Set aside 1 cup blueberries. Combine remaining 2 cups blueberries, lemon juice, pitted dates in food processor. Scrape down sides, process again. Transfer to small bowl and mix in chia seeds. Let sit to gel while preparing dough.
- Rinse out the bowl of the processor and then add in oats, almond meal, flax, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Pulse to combine. Then add in orange juice , apple sauce, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Process. Scrape down sides and process again until well combined and smooth. Batter will be pasty.
- Set aside 1 ½ cups of dough and add the remaining dough into the prepared baking pan. It will be pasty and sticky. Use an offset spatula or your fingers to smooth dough into corners, pressing down for a firm fit. Wet the spatula or your hands to make this process easier.
- Spread blueberry “jam” evenly over dough. Sprinkle blueberries over jam and chopped nectarines, if using.
- Scoop the remaining dough out onto blueberry mixture. It’s OK if it’s not totally covered, just be sure it’s evenly spread over the surface.
- For square pan, bake for 40 minutes, rectangle pan bake for 30 minutes. Crumble is done when top is lightly browned and set.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool in pan before cutting into squares or bars.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Note
The nutrition calculations were done using online tools. To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in any given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients you used. You are ultimately responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information is accurate, complete and useful.
Kayla DiMaggio
Wow these blueberry crumble bars were so delicious!
Debra Klein
Totally agree….and easy and so tasty breakfast!
Michelle | Taste As You Go
These crumble bars make the perfect on-the-go breakfast in the summer!
Kristina
A great way to use up lots of juicy blueberries
Debra Klein
Agreed….so delish!
Freya
These were so good, I loved that they used whole fruit in them!
Debra Klein
Thank you. This is one of my favorite breakfast recipes too!
Susan
These (and any the bliss balls) are my go to breakfast recipes. I am always so sad when I’m about to finish the last of the batch. Which reminds me…I need to make more! They are delicious warm or right out of the fridge and freeze beautifully.
Debra Klein
These are definitely dangerous that way….I try to freeze some right away so if I “eat it all” there’s a bit less. LOL.
Debra Klein
Thank you. Blueberries are an awesome snack on their own, and I also love to put them in my oatmeal……but blueberry crumble bars…heavenly.
Jo
Hi Debra, Can l use a blender instead of food processor? Thanks in advance.
Debra Klein
Yes, you can use a blender to combine….but depending on what type it is (how narrow and deep the blender container is), it may be difficult to get the dough out.
Debra Klein
Great idea…and these freeze beautifully.
Debra Klein
Like minds……try to avoid processed sugars.
Debra Klein
Awesome idea to share with a neighbor. It’s such a wonderful way to change up the routine and add in some other veggies.
Debra Klein
Thank you….definitely a popular recipe for the kiddos….super fun for the 4th too!
Debra Klein
Yes! Take a break and enjoy!
Debra Klein
No, not dreaming…this one’s for real! Enjoy.
Dana
Healthy crumble bars. Am I dreaming? When I got pregnant, I developed a big time sweet tooth. Obviously not the healthiest of cravings. Haha. So, post-pregnancy, I’ve been trying to find healthy spins on sweet treats. This is perfect!
Trish Bozeman
Ooooh I could eat this whole pan! These would be wonderful for breakfast with a cup of coffee and I know my toddler would be thrilled. Love that little hint of nectarine in there. YUM!
Marisa F. Stewart
Blueberries are a favorite in our family!! Now, that we live closer to our kids and grandkids I try to have treats available for them that are nutritious as well as great tasting. These bars look fantastic. I love the healthier ingredients in the treats. I’m pinning this recipe and making it this week.
Sandra Shaffer
Lot’s of healthy added ingredients in this crumble bar recipe! Love the chia seeds – which nicely thickens up the blueberries. Now you have me thinking about rejoining my CSA. We couldn’t eat all the food, but I bet a neighbor will be willing to share the box with me.
Jenni LeBaron
These blueberry crumble bars look wholly delicious! I love that they are sweetened with natural maple syrup, dates, and fruit rather than refined sugars, A total winner in my books!
Sean@Diversivore
Guess who just got a couple of pounds of blueberries and is looking for something awesome to do with them? THIS GUY. These look awesome, and they look like a great snack for my kids’ school lunches. Of course school is basically done… so I guess I’ll just have to make a few ‘test batches’ in preparation for the fall, right? Cheers, and thanks for sharing!
Daniela
I saw blueberries at the farmers market the other day, but I didn’t buy any because I couldn’t think of anything to make with them that didn’t call for a ton of refined sugar. Now I know what to make! I love that these blueberry crumble bars are naturally sweetened and made with almond flour. Great recipe!
Carmy
I love a delicious blueberry crumble! I totally need to find a local CSA because I’d love to get a box of this on the regular. Blueberries are so jammed packed with healthy goodness that I totally think I should eat this whole pan by myself instead of sharing 😉
Debra Klein
Absolutely awesome with a cup of coffee or tea!
Gloria Duggan
I love blueberries. These look fantastic. Since they are healthy, I would for sure eat them for breakfast with my morning coffee.
evelyn
Thank you!! My son would love these!!
Debra Klein
They are delicious and perfect for a grab and go option.