Homemade Strawberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars
Delicious and juicy strawberry oatmeal crumble bars will add a little sweetness to your day for breakfast or a snack! These homemade bars are crunchy and absolutely easy to make from scratch.
When strawberry season hits, I always go a little overboard buying all the strawberries! It’s so hard to pass up the good deal that they are when in season.
If you are an over buyer like me and are wondering how to use up lots of strawberries, other than fresh strawberry pie or this easy strawberry sauce, these bars are a delicious way to enjoy them.
You can also double up on the strawberry filling and use the other half for my strawberry cream cheese brownies instead of the jam. Yum!
Table of contents
Ingredients
Pantry staples
- flour
- rolled oatmeal
- brown sugar
- vanilla extract
- ground cinnamon
- baking soda
- salt
- cornstarch
Shopping list
- strawberries
- coconut oil
- maple syrup
Possible substitutions
- Add ¼ cup chopped nuts to the crust and crumble mixture for an extra crunch.
- Swap out the strawberries for fresh blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
Other recipes you may like
- Strawberry Balsamic Chocolate Sauce
- Raspberry Pancakes with Orange Glaze
- Easy Blackberry Waffles Recipe
How to make this
- Cook strawberries, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt over low heat stirring frequently until mixture has thickened. The mixture will cook again in the oven so it doesn’t need to be too thick. Allow to cool.
- Meanwhile, combine the dry crumb ingredients in a bowl. Add the coconut oil and vanilla and mix just until the dough begins to clump.
- Tip: Don’t overmix as the crust can become tough.
- Press 2/3 of the crumb mixture into a pan lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave enough parchment paper so that it hangs over the edge.
- Tip: Using the bottom of a cup for the main section and a spoon for the corners can help you to press down the mixture.
- Spread the strawberry sauce over the crust.
- Sprinkle the last 1/3 of the crumb mixture over the top.
- Bake until the topping is a golden brown.
- Allow to cool before cutting into squares.
Frozen berries release a lot of moisture so you would have to play with the amount of cornstarch to get the right texture for the sauce.
It’s not that you can’t, but that I haven’t tried it that way. If you do try it, please leave a comment below and share with us your tips!
Yep! I like to cut mine into squares before placing them onto parchment paper and freezing. Keep them for up to 3 months in the freezer stored in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.
Personally, anything with fruit in it I always err on the side of yes. I have found that they keep better, and longer, when refrigerated.
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Top Tips for cooking with kids
If you are cooking with younger kids, I would break the recipe up into 2 separate cooking segments. Make the filling and then while you leave it to cool, do another activity like taking a walk, playing outside, or doing a simple art project.
Kids can easily burn out with a multi-step process (parents too!), so creating distinct stages to the baking process can keep it fun for everyone.
See here for more tips on cooking with kids!
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Recipe
Equipment
- 8″ x 8″ baking pan
Ingredients
Crust and crumble
- 1 1/2 cups oat flour or all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup coconut or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups strawberries
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- For the strawberry filling, place a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the strawberries, maple syrup, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt to the saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break down the strawberries just a bit. Cook until mixture is thickened up without being too drippy. Set aside to cool.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper making sure to leave an overhang of 1" (2.5 cm). You will use these as handles to pull the bars out later.
- In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, oats, coconut or brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Add in coconut oil and vanilla extract. Stir just until the dough begins to clump together. Do not overmix!
- Place 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared pan. Place the remaining mixture into the fridge. Use your hands, a cup, or a spoon to evenly press the dough down into the baking pan.
- Pour the strawberry filling over the crust. Spread the mixture evenly.
- Take the remaining oatmeal topping out of the fridge. Sprinkle the crumbles over the filling. Sprinkle a small handful of oats on top.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.
- Allow bars to cool completely. Use a sharp knife to cut into 9 bars. Bars can be served cold from the fridge, room temperature, or warmed up in the microwave.
Notes
- Add ¼ cup chopped nuts to the crust and crumble mixture for an extra crunch.
- Swap out the strawberries for fresh blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
Our little strawberry patch is going crazy right now so I can’t wait to turn some of those berries into these bars!