Strawberry Crumb Bars

Fresh strawberries are sandwiched between a buttery crust and streusel topping in these Strawberry Crumb Bars. A great alternative to strawberry pie in the form of a delicious dessert bar.

Author Amber Brady

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1

Yields bars

Ingredients

Crust/Crumble:

3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour, (stir spoon & level)
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks) cold
1 large egg

Strawberry Filling:

5 cups (681-908 g) fresh strawberries, diced (about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs)
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish or line with parchment paper leaving a couple inches of overhang for easy lifting.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into Tablespoon size pieces and add to flour mixture. Then use the paddle attachment to break up the butter into small flakes. (Can also use a food processor or pastry blender to do it by hand.)
Add an egg, and mix until combined. The texture will be mostly dry and powdery like sand, with a few clumps.
Sprinkle half the crumb mixture over the bottom of the prepared pan. Then press the crust flat with hands/fingers. It may look dry, but will come together when it bakes.
Rinse, hull, and dice strawberries to equal 5 cups. About 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of strawberries. Add the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Then spoon and spread the strawberries (and all juices) evenly over the bottom crust.
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the top of the strawberries. NOTE: Squeezing the mixture will make the topping have more of a chunky texture, while sprinkling it will be more smooth and fine. I like to have a mixture of both.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, or until the top is a light golden brown and the filling bubbles in the center.
Allow strawberry crumb bars to cool completely before cutting. Use a knife to cut bars into 5 rows × 4 rows for 20 strawberry pie squares.

Notes

The colder the butter, the more crumbly the texture will be. You can use slightly soft butter to make the crust and crumble on top more solid/chunky. But don’t use overly soft butter.
Leftover strawberry crumb bars can be stored in an airtight container or in the baking pan covered tightly with plastic wrap or foil. Store strawberry bars at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.

Nutrition