Highlight the bursting flavor of homemade or jarred blueberry preserves with these one-bowl Blueberry Crumb Bars! They’re a tasty, make-ahead, crowd-pleasing treat that can be made vegan and gluten-free for everyone to enjoy!
I dare you to find someone that isn’t in love with these blueberry bars! These are incredibly easy and perfect for the novice baker. They resemble blueberry pie, but in bar form. The ultimate crowd-pleasing treat!
This recipe is a spin on a treat that my older sister made while we were visiting her a few weeks ago. She made a raspberry version and they were sooo delicious that I savored each bite. I wanted to pay homage to those scrumptious bars, so I decided to come up with a slight rendition of my own…blueberry bars!
Why you will love these bars:
- Tastes like blueberry pie!
- Not too sweet, yet bursting with flavor
- One-bowl means less mess and easy cleanup
- Guaranteed to make a crowd happy 🙂
These only take about 20 minutes of hands-on, undivided attention, so you can let these bake and chill while you’re busy doing other things in the kitchen or around the house. Before you make them take a quick look at the ingredient notes and rundown of how to make these.
What you will need:
- Blueberry preserves: A 13 oz jar will be perfect. You can also make your own if you prefer. Here is a recipe I like.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour OR a 1:1 gluten-free flour will work.
- Sugar: My preferred is white cane sugar.
- Coconut oil OR Vegan Butter: This recipe works with coconut oil or vegan butter (or regular butter if not making vegan).
- Salt
How to Make Vegan Blueberry Bars:
1. Add the flour, sugar, and salt to a large bowl. Whisk.
2: Add the softened vegan butter or coconut oil and stir until crumbly. You can use your hands to form the dough as well. Scoop out about 1 cup of the dough and set it aside. This will be used for the crumb topping.
3: Press the mixture into a parchment paper-lined 9×13 pan. Bake at 300F for 15 minutes.
4: Remove the baked crust from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes and readjust your oven to 350F. Spread the blueberry preserves onto the crust and top with the reserved dough crumbles. bake for 40 minutes.
5: Once the edges are lightly golden, remove the pan from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. You can serve the bars warm like a cobbler OR pop the pan into the refrigerator for 2 hours so they can firm up and be easier to cut into bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use blueberry jam?
The recipe calls for blueberry preserves, but jam should work as well. The main difference between jam and preserves is jam has a smoother texture whereas preserves contain bigger chunks of fruit. Just be mindful that your bars may be thinner if you use jam as opposed to preserves.
Are these gluten-free?
The recipe can be modified to fit gluten-free needs by substituting the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour. I like this one by Bob’s Red Mill.
How should I store them?
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week for best tasting results.
Can I freeze these?
Yes! These freeze pretty well. Make the bars as per the instructions and let them cool completely before cutting them into squares and transferring them into a container. Then you can keep them in the freezer for up to a month and thaw when needed.
Vegan Blueberry Bars
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 3/4 Cups Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 Cup Vegan Butter (or coconut oil), softened
- 1 1/2 Cups Blueberry Preserves (13-ounce jar or homemade)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the vegan butter (or coconut oil) and stir until combined and crumbly. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the dough for the crumb topping.
- Pour the mixture into the pan and firmly press it until even. Bake for 10 minutes.
- When the crust has finished baking, remove from the oven. Adjust the oven to 350F and evenly spread the blueberry preserves on top of the baked crust. Top the filling with the reserved crust and bake for 30-40 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- Allow the bars to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm OR chilling in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Once chilled, cut into bars and serve.
Notes
- Gluten-Free Option: To make gluten-free, use a 1:1 GF flour substitute.
- Pans: This recipe works in both a metal or glass pan, but I find the bars are softer when made in a glass pan.
- Storage Instructions: Keep in a container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, transfer the bars to a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 1 month.
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