Buttery Jammy Strawberry Bars! Oh, my goodness, so delicious! Fresh strawberries and jam sandwiched between a layer of buttery biscuit base and cinnamon scented oat-y and seed-y crumble topping. These bars are quick to prepare (no mixer required), wholesome, packed with healthier ingredients and truly the BEST strawberry bars EVER!
Lovely, oh my goodness these bars are so good! Extra buttery, soft, sweet, gooey, bursting with fresh strawberries with hints of honey, vanilla and cinnamon. These bars are mouth-watering, addictingly good and super pretty. This recipe is the ultimate summer dessert and just the thing you need to use up strawberries! It’s also freezer friendly, perfect for lunch boxes or an after-school treat.
These strawberry bars were inspired by my apple crumble muffins. I’m a little obsessed with the crunchy streusel topping that adorns those muffins and how could I not! It’s buttery, perfectly spiced and extra crunchy thanks to the clever addition of poppyseeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds. The crumble topping ensures each bite is perfectly textured, delicious and makes you come back for more. Thus, I felt it only fair our glorious crumble topping had another chance to shine. Thus, today’s strawberry bars. And shine it does.
Let’s talk layers.
The base of these strawberry oats bars is made with simple yet wholesome ingredients: wholemeal flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, salt, vanilla and cinnamon. The buttery biscuit base is very much like shortbread. Sturdy, yet tender and wonderfully buttery. The trick to ensuring the bars hold shape is to really pack the biscuit base quite firmly into the baking tin so it becomes a sturdy yet delectable raft to hold the layer of bubbling strawberries and crumble topping. There is also no need to pre-bake the biscuit base. YAY!
For the filing, I used a clever combination of strawberry jam and fresh strawberries. The strawberry jam makes the bars bubble beautifully in the oven as they go ooey, gooey, wonderfully jammy and candied on the edges. The fresh strawberries burst with fresh strawberry flavour and look absolutely beautiful peeking out between the layer of crumble topping. I love this combination – it truly creates the tastiest strawberry bars bursting with flavour.
The crumble/crust layer is buttery, sweet, crisp, heavenly scented, wonderfully textured and amazingly crunchy thanks to the above mentioned addition of poppyseeds, flaxseeds and chia seeds. In the oven, this layer turns a deep golden brown, crunchy yet remains buttery all at the same time. Pure heaven.
This recipe is very simple to make and can be in the oven in under 15 minutes. Simply prepare the biscuit base and reserve 1 cup for the topping. Spread the jam over the biscuit base, top with the prepared strawberries and sprinkle over the crumble topping. Pop the darling bars into the oven and in 30-40 minutes you’ll have a kitchen that smells like heaven with beautiful bars to match.
The bars do need to cool completely before you can cut them. Torture, I know! My patience yields all too easily and a good portion of a corner gets demolished warm straight out of the oven with fork in hand – and it’s insanely delicious! You must try! However, if you do wait be sure to cut into 9-12 bars to hand out to those willing to wash up.
To make your own strawberry bars, follow these simple steps…
Preheat oven to 180 C (350F) and line a square 20 cm x 20 cm tin with baking paper. Set aside.
Place the wholemeal flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter, egg, honey and vanilla and stir to combine.
Set aside 1 cup of the crumble mixture (for the topping), then press the remaining mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared tin. Place the tin into the fridge whilst you prepare the strawberries and topping.
To the reserved crumble add the poppy seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds and mix thoroughly to combine. Set aside.
Place the hulled and chopped strawberries into a big bowl with the brown sugar and tapioca flour (or cornflour) and gently stir to combine.
Retrieve the base from the fridge. Cover the base with an even layer of strawberry jam, top with prepared strawberries and scatter over the topping.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the strawberries are bubbling and the topping is a deep golden brown caramel colour.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into 9-12 bars.
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strawberry bars
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
Buttery Jammy Strawberry Bars! Oh, my goodness, so delicious! Fresh strawberries and jam sandwiched between a layer of buttery biscuit base and cinnamon scented oat-y and seedy-y crumble topping. These bars are quick to prepare (no mixer required), wholesome, packed with healthier ingredients and truly the BEST strawberry bars EVER!
Ingredients
Biscuit base:
- 1 1/2 cups (190 grams) plain wholemeal flour
- 1 1/2 cups (135 grams) rolled (traditional) oats
- 1/2 cup (75 grams) brown sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
- 125 grams butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
Strawberry Layer:
- 2 cups (300 grams) fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons tapioca flour (or corn flour)
- 2/3 cup (170 ml) store-bought strawberry jam
Crumble layer:
- 1 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon flax seeds (linseeds)
- 1 tablespoon (white or black) chia seeds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a square 20 cm x 20 cm tin with baking paper. Set aside.
To make the biscuit base:
- Place the flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl and mix to combine.
- Add the butter, egg, honey and vanilla and stir thoroughly to combine.
- Set aside 1 cup of the mixture (for the crumble topping).
- Press the remaining mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared tin. Set aside in the fridge.
To make the strawberry layer:
- Place the strawberries, sugar and tapioca into a large bowl and gently mix to combine.
- Retrieve the base from the fridge.
- Cover the base with an even layer of strawberry jam, top with prepared strawberries.
To make the crumble topping:
- To the reserved crumble, add the poppy seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the strawberry layer.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the jam is bubbling and the crumble topping is a deep golden brown.
- Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into 9-12 bars. Enjoy x
Notes
Bars are best kept in an air tight container in the fridge. Will keep for 3-4 days.
Bars are freezer friendly. Store in an airtight snap lock bag. Will keep for 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 35 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
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