This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy.
Amazingly easy and delicious, these Blueberry Crumble Bars are the perfect amount of buttery crumble and sweet filling, and are easily prepared year-round with fresh or frozen blueberries.
Buttery toppings and sweet pie fillings are a favorite dessert here at The Forked Spoon, including Easy Lemon Bars, Blackberry Cobbler, and Blackberry and Blueberry Galette with Rosemary.
Table of Contents
I keep going back and forth on how to properly start a post for the most amazing Blueberry Crumble Bars you will ever make in your whole life. Do I start with small talk first? Or just start talking about the food?
Since most (translation- all) of you are here for the food, let’s start there.
And with the basics.
Key Ingredients
- All-purpose flour
- Cold butter
- Eggs
- Lemons- juice, and zest
- BLUEBERRIES
Definitely not diet food, but that’s ok. I mean, we’re not here for diet food today.
As far as flour goes, I used all-purpose flour. It’s like the white bread of flours, and my personal preference for this particular recipe. That said, I suspect that these blueberry crumble bars would taste fantastic if you mixed the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour or almond flour.
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
I have two answers to this question-
- If you want the best, fresh, ripe blueberry flavor, then fresh in-season blueberries are ideal. You can’t gauge taste and ripeness when you purchase frozen blueberries. That said, it’s not always berry season.
- Cost. Big, beautiful, ripe, in-season berries are expensive. So, unless they grow wild in your backyard, making a single sheet of Blueberry Crumble Bars or a couple of blueberry pies is expensive. For me, a person who already spends way too much on groceries, I am willing to compromise a teeny bit of flavor and use frozen berries.
So just in case you didn’t catch that, these Blueberry Crumble Bars shown here are made with frozen blueberries.
Why these are so Fantastic
- They are, quite honestly, the easiest thing you will ever make.
- They are super versatile. Meaning what exactly? If you don’t have blueberries, use what you’ve got on hand or whatever’s in season.
- Blueberry crumb bars are easy to store and transport, which makes them the perfect party or potluck treat!
- There is no need for fancy equipment when making these blueberry pie bars.
- Which reminds me…pie is a thing of the past thanks to these beauties.
If you do plan to share your beautiful blueberry crumb bars with friends and family, and you plan to get all prepped and ready ahead of time, I HIGHLY recommend hiding them from everyone in your house. Actually, in the case of these bars, it’s just better to triple the recipe because unless you hate delicious blueberry pie, there is no way you’ll be able to keep these from even yourself.
And I know this because this happened to me.
Usually, it’s the husband’s fault when treats go missing, but in the case of these sweet and buttery bars, well… that was all me.
Equipment needed
Are you ready for this super long list?
- Mixing bowls
- Parchment paper
- A 9×13-inch pan. I used this 9 x 13-inch pan and love love love it. Yes, the glue is a pain in the you-know-what to remove, but it does eventually come off.
If you love these bars, you may also enjoy
- Toffee Pecan Bars
- Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
- Affogato
- Boba Tea (bubble tea recipe)
- Raspberry Cookies
Blueberry Crumble Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, (2 sticks)
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 lemons zested
- 2 lemons juiced
- 5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup white sugar
- 4 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan (I also lined my pan with parchment paper for easy transfer and cutting).
- In a large bowl, mix together the 3 cups of flour, 1 cup of sugar and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Using a large fork or pastry cutter, blend the butter and egg into the flour (you could also do this is a food processor, but be careful to slowly pulse until just incorporated). The dough will be very crumbly. Transfer half the dough to your prepared pan and pat firmly until crust is uniform.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Mix in the blueberries. Transfer the blueberry mixture over the top of the prepared crust. Finally, crumble remaining dough over the top of the berry layer.
- Bake in preheated oven for approximately 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow bars to cool completely before cutting into squares, or, better yet, store in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving (it makes slicing a breeze and, in my opinion, they are best cold).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Absolutely delicious! My husband kept coming back for more 😊
Can you freeze these?
After your blueberry crumble bars have completely cooled, cut them into individual servings. Wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place these wrapped bars in a freezer-safe bag or container, removing as much air as possible. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving 🙂
Hi there!
Could I half the recipe and bake in a 9 x 9 Pyrex baking dish? This recipe looks delicious!
Thank you,
Marg
While I have not personally tried this, I believe this blueberry crumble recipe that was originally for a 9×13 inch pan can be halved and baked in a 9×9 inch pan. However, it’s important to note that the baking time may slightly vary as the crumble might be a bit thicker in the smaller pan. You should always check for doneness according to the recipe instructions, like a golden-brown topping or bubbling fruit at the edges, before removing it from the oven.
Thank you so much for replying to my question. I have the blueberries but not 5 cups worth and it’s just me and my husband. I’ll let you know how it turns out! : D
Very easy and very good! I didn’t have any fresh lemons on hand so I used 2 tbsp. of lemon juice instead. It wasn’t too sweet and I let it cool in the refrigerator before cutting. It set up thick and was easy to cut. I used parchment paper in my 13×9 pan. Many recipes use a 8×8 pan. I like that this one used a 9×13 pan. Used the 5 cups of blueberries and it came out perfect. Thanks for a great reciepe!!
Thanks for the great review and rating, Linda 🙂
I made this for 14 hungry folks on a river trip. I baked it in an aluminum pan with parchment paper for easy cutting. It fit perfectly in my cooler. We had it for dessert and then breakfast the next morning. We devoured it! Everyone loved that it wasn’t too sweet with just the right amount of lemon. Thank you!
I am glad it worked out so well on your river trip, Karen 😀
Would it be okay to omit the citrus if you can’t eat it?
It should be fine to omit the citrus 🙂
Could you please tell if you can freeze these bars and how would you do it.
Thank you for your time. You seem like a genteel woman and caring.
After your blueberry crumble bars have completely cooled, cut them into individual servings. Wrap each bar tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Place these wrapped bars in a freezer-safe bag or container, removing as much air as possible. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months, and thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving 🙂
These are so yummy!! My husband’s new favorite dessert, he already requested them for his birthday. 🤣 Perfect for summer, or any season really!
Thanks for the yummy feedback and rating, Carla 😀
Does anybody know how the cooking might be different in a glass vs metal pan?
Glass pans retain heat longer after baking, and metal pans transfer heat more evenly(readily) to the baking dish.
Can the blueberry bars be frozen in the pan prior to cutting?
While I have not tried freezing in the pan with this recipe, that should be fine.
Perfectly easy and tasty way to use the blueberries I picked earlier in the year and froze same day. (I rinse and dry them, and divvy into 1 cup bags and freeze the same day I pick them. I never thaw them for recipes and they work perfect. Frozen berries hold up better to stirring.). I get the bags of lemons and limes at Aldi for cheap, so grabbing a couple lemons to zest and juice was easy enough. The recipe’s a keeper.
Thanks for the perfect feedback, Noelle 🙂
This recipe looks so amazing and I can’t wait to try it. But I’m wondering about the lemon. I am not a fan of lemon, and having a hint of lemon in anything I eat makes me dislike It immediately. So I’m wondering if removing the lemon from this recipe would be detrimental. Would it leave it lacking in flavor? Or will it affect the texture in some way? Has anyone ever tried it?
While I have not tried this recipe without lemon, I don’t think omitting it will affect anything other than the lemon flavor and tartness/acidity 🙂