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My blueberry crumble bars feature a buttery, lemony shortbread that serves as both the crust and the crumble topping, sandwiching a thick, jammy blueberry filling. With a crisp, crumbly top and a juicy yet sliceable blueberry center, these bars can be enjoyed as a sweet snack or served for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Blueberries are my favorite berry when they’re in season, and these crumble bars are such a great way to use them. Don’t get me wrong, I never say no to a slice of blueberry pie or just slightly warm blueberry muffin. But there’s something about the combination of a buttery crust and a thick layer of juicy blueberries that keeps me (and Vân!) coming back to this recipe.
They are everything I love about a blueberry pie, but in a much simpler, hand-held form. No rolling out pie dough and no pre-cooking needed for the blueberries. Just press the shortbread crust into a pan, top with blueberries, and crumble more shortbread on top. Bake and enjoy!
⭐️ Why You’ll Love These
Still not convinced? Here are three more reasons to give these bars a try:
- Thick and juicy blueberry filling. We use fresh berries here – no jam – for the freshest, most intense blueberry flavor! One more thing: using fresh berries lets you control the sweetness of the filling so it’s perfectly balanced instead of overly sweet.
- One dough, no par-baking needed. To keep things quick and simple, the same shortbread dough is used for both the crust and the crumble topping. And yes, there’s no need to par-bake the crust! It bakes sturdy enough to hold the bars well. A quick note: If you prefer an extra-crispy bottom crust, though, you can still par-bake it for a few minutes. I’m giving you the instruction to do that in the FAQ at the bottom of this page.
- No eggs, no dairy. Like all of our recipes, these blueberry crumble bars are completely vegan.
🫐 Ingredient Notes
- Blueberries – No jam here! We’re using fresh blueberries for an intense, fresher flavor. I suggest giving your blueberries a taste before using. Not all blueberries are created equal, so choose ones that are sweet and flavorful for the best result.
Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes. Don’t thaw them and bake the crumble for an additional 5-7 minutes. - Flour – All-purpose flour provides the structure for the crust and the crumble topping.
- Butter – Use your favorite vegan butter. I like Flora, but Trader Joe’s, Country Crock, or Violife all work well too. Be sure to use vegan butter that comes in a block, not the spreadable kind.
- Sugar – To sweeten both the shortbread and the blueberry filling.
- Lemon – You’ll need one lemon for both the zest and the juice. Zest the lemon before juicing it – it makes the job much easier! The zest adds a bright, zesty note to the shortbread while the juice is mixed with the blueberries to help preserve their bright purple color.
- Cornstarch – Essential for thickening the juice released by the blueberries as they bake, turning them into a jammy filling.
- Vanilla extract – I like to add vanilla extract to the shortbread to give it a cookie-like flavor.
📔 My Tips
- Use organic or unwaxed lemon. Since you’ll be using the zest, I highly suggest using an organic lemon. Either way, clean the whole lemon and pat it dry before using.
- Make sure your butter is cold. Cold butter is a must. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. Don’t let it sit on the counter, or it will soften and make the shortbread crust very difficult to handle.
- Cool completely before slicing. I know, it’s hard to wait. But the filling needs time to set. That’s why you should allow your crumble bars to cool for at least 2 hours inside the pan before carefully transferring to a cutting board. Even better, chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours if you want very clean slices.
🥣 How to Make Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Mix the sugar and lemon zest. Using your hands, rub the lemon zest with the sugar.
- This step extracts the essential oils from the zest, resulting in a more intense lemon flavor.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, lemon sugar, and salt to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Mix until combined.
- Add the butter. Then, add the diced cold butter and vanilla extract.
- Mix. Using the paddle attachment, knead the dough for 30-60 seconds or until it forms a dough. Do not overmix. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together.
- Transfer to a pan. Set aside 1/3 of the shortbread dough (you’ll use it for the crumble topping). Transfer the remaining 2/3 into a pan lined with parchment paper.
- Press it. Use your hands to press the dough into the pan. Next, arrange a layer of parchment paper on top and use the bottom of a glass or a flat cap to flatten the dough into an even layer.
- Toss the blueberries. Add the blueberries to a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice. Toss to coat.
- Then, add the sugar and cornstarch and toss again until well combined. Don’t worry if you mash some blueberries.
- Transfer to the pan. Transfer the blueberries to the pan and arrange them into an even layer on top of the shortbread dough.
- Top with the crumble. Using your hands, crumble the remaining 1/3 of the shortbread dough and sprinkle it over the blueberries.
- Try to arrange the crumble topping evenly all over the blueberries.
- Bake. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling bubbles.
🍦 Serving Suggestions
Now things get serious: the toppings. You can serve these bars:
Warm with vanilla ice cream. This one’s top of the list for us! Allow the crumble to cool down a bit, slice into bars, and top with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream for a fantastic dessert. The creamy vanilla contrasts beautifully with the juicy blueberry filling.
With vegan whipped cream. Add a dollop of your favorite vegan whipped cream and top with a few fresh blueberries. We like Flora plant cream, but I’ve also heard great things about Country Crock dairy-free heavy whipping cream.
Cold, as a snack or dessert. We also love them cold when the filling is firmer and the crumble a bit denser, although slightly less crispy.
❄️ How to Store
- In the fridge: These blueberry crumble bars will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just keep in mind that after 2 days, the crumble topping softens.
- In the freezer: Wrap each bar individually and store in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
💬 FAQs & Troubleshooting
Yes. Replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.
There are likely two reasons:
1. It needs more time in the oven. Bake the bars until the crumble topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling is bubbling in the center, not just around the edges. Bubbling throughout the center is a good sign that the crust underneath had enough time to bake.
2. The pan was placed too high in the oven. For the best results, bake the bars on the lower oven rack. This helps the bottom crust bake through completely.
If you want a crispier crust, you can par-bake it for 8 minutes in a 325°F (165°C) preheated oven. Then, add the blueberries followed by the crumble topping, and bake for another 35-40 minutes.
The filling needs time to set. If it’s still warm, it’s completely normal for it to be runny. Allow your crumble to cool for 3-4 hours in the fridge.
The crumble topping should be golden brown, and you should see the blueberry filling bubble in the center of the pan.
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Blueberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Crust + Topping
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
- 1 and 1/2 cup (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (113 g) vegan butter (cold and diced)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp (7 ml) vanilla extract
Blueberry Filling
- 2 and 3/4 cup (400 g) fresh blueberries
- 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice
- 3 tbsp (37 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to
355 °F (180°C) and line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with parchment paper. Quick tip: I like to lightly grease the pan with butter first. This helps the parchment paper stick to the pan. - Mix the sugar and lemon zest. Add the sugar and lemon zest to a small bowl. Using your hands, rub the lemon zest with the sugar for about 20 seconds.
- Mix the dry ingredients. Add the flour, lemon sugar, and salt to a stand mixer or large mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the dry ingredients for 10 seconds or until combined.
- Add the butter. Then, add the diced cold butter and vanilla extract. Knead the dough on low speed (Speed 1-2) for 30-60 seconds or until it forms a dough. Do not overmix. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together.Set aside 1/3 of the dough (about 4.5 ounces / 128 g). You will use it as the crumble topping later.
- Press into a pan. Transfer the remaining 2/3 (about 9 ounces / 256 g) into the prepared pan. Use your hands to press the dough into the pan. Next, arrange a layer of parchment paper on top. Use the bottom of a glass or a flat cap (I use the cap of a tea tin) to flatten the dough into an even layer. Remove the parchment paper.
- Toss the blueberries. Add the blueberries to a mixing bowl and add the lemon juice. Toss to coat. Then, add the sugar and cornstarch and toss again until well combined. Don’t worry if you mash some blueberries – they will melt anyway during baking.
- Transfer to the pan. Transfer the blueberries to the pan and arrange them into an even layer on top of the shortbread dough.
- Top with the crumble. Using your hands, crumble the remaining 1/3 of the shortbread dough and sprinkle it all over the blueberries. The crumble won't cover the whole layer of blueberries. This is normal. It allows some of the blueberry juice to evaporate during baking.
- Bake. Bake for 45-50 minutes on the lower rack of your oven, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling bubbles in the center.
- Let it cool. Allow your crumble bars to cool for at least 2 hours inside the pan before carefully transferring to a cutting board. For cleaner slices, chill in the fridge for 3-4 hours.
- These blueberry crumble bars will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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