Blueberry Crumble Bars
Blueberry Crumble Bars with a buttery crumb crust and topping over a jammy blueberry-lemon filling. An easy, crowd-pleasing summer dessert.
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon optional
- 1 cup cold butter 2 sticks
- 1 egg
- 4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 to 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon if using.
- Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in the egg. The dough will be crumbly.
- Press a little more than half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Gently toss in the blueberries until evenly coated.
- Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust, scraping in any excess juices.
- Crumble the remaining dough over the blueberry layer, leaving some berries peeking through.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the top is slightly golden brown and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
- Cool completely in the pan before cutting into squares.
Notes
Berries: Fresh or frozen blueberries both work. If using frozen, add them straight from the freezer, bake a few minutes longer, and add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to help the filling thicken.
Lemon and cinnamon: The lemon zest and cinnamon are optional but add lovely brightness and warmth.
Clean slices: Cool completely, then chill for about an hour before slicing for the tidiest squares.
Sweetness: If your berries are very tart, add a couple extra tablespoons of sugar to the filling.
Variations: Swap in raspberries, blackberries, or chopped cherries, or drizzle a simple powdered-sugar icing over the cooled bars.
Storage: Store in an airtight container for 1–2 days at room temperature, up to 1 week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer.