Description
Delight in these homemade Strawberry Crumb Bars featuring a buttery, crumbly crust layered with fresh, sweet strawberries. Perfect for a snack or dessert, these bars balance a tender crumb with juicy fruit filling and are easy to make in a simple 8×8 pan.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Crust & Topping
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup very cold butter (8 Tablespoons or 1 stick)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, chopped
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare an 8×8 inch baking pan by lining the bottom with parchment paper that hangs over the sides to make removing the bars easier.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup white sugar, 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir until evenly mixed.
- Cut in Cold Butter: Using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor, cut or pulse the very cold butter into the flour mixture until it forms pea-sized crumbs. The dough should be crumbly but hold small pieces.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: In a separate small bowl, beat the egg with a fork. Add the beaten egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the flour mixture, gently combining until crumbly dough forms.
- Form Bottom Crust: Pat half of the crumbly dough mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, pressing gently to form a solid base.
- Prepare Strawberry Filling: In another bowl, blend 1/3 cup sugar and 2 teaspoons cornstarch. Add the chopped strawberries and toss gently to coat the fruit evenly with the sugar mixture.
- Add Filling: Spoon the strawberry mixture evenly over the bottom crust layer in the pan.
- Top with Crumb Mixture: Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the strawberry layer, covering as best as possible to create the crumb topping.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until the top becomes lightly golden brown. Note that baking times can vary; some ovens may bake faster around 38 minutes.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. For best results, refrigerate until ready to cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Ensure your butter is very cold to achieve a proper crumbly texture and avoid melting while mixing.
- Avoid overworking the dough to keep it cold and crumbly, which is key for a good crust and topping.
- If your strawberries are not very sweet, increase the sugar in the filling from 1/3 cup to 1/2 cup for balanced sweetness.
- To make a larger batch, double the ingredients and use a 9×13 inch pan for more servings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 2x2 inch square)
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
