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A plate of blueberry crumb bars topped with lemon icing

Easy Blueberry Crumb Bars

5 from 5 votes

This simple dessert is saturated with intense blueberry flavor and hints of bright, fresh lemon on a buttery crust

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Juicy Blueberry Crumb Bars with a sweet buttery crust

An overhead view of a plate of blueberry bars with lemons on the side

 

There’s nothing like sweet summer blueberries baked in a simple crust to excite the taste buds!

This simple dessert is saturated with intense blueberry flavor and hints of bright, fresh lemon juice layered in a buttery crust. The flavor combo is classic and always a favorite.

The flavor of our Blueberry Crumb Bars remind me of a luscious pie. The buttery nuggets of crumbled topping are similar to the topping baked on our popular Blueberry Crumble Pie.

 

A plate of blueberry bars with a crumb topping and a drizzle of icing

Ingredients to make Blueberry Crumb Bars:

For the crust:

  • granulated sugar
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • salt
  • lemon zest
  • unsalted butter
  • egg

For the blueberry layer:

  • granulated sugar
  • cornstarch
  • lemon juice
  • blueberries

For the icing:

  • powdered sugar
  • fresh lemon juice

 

A side view of a plate of blueberry bars drizzled with icing

How to make Blueberry Crumb Bars:

To prepare the crust:

  1. Mix the crust ingredients together in a large bowl.
  2. Press a little more than half into the bottom of a lightly greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Set aside.

To prepare the filling:

  1. Combine the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice.
  2. Add the blueberries and toss to combine.
  3. Pour over the prepared crust.
  4. Crumble the remaining dough in clumps over the blueberries.
  5. Bake!

To prepare the icing:

  1. Whisk together and drizzle over the cooled bars. Refrigerate the cooled bars before slicing.

 

A fresh blueberry crumb bar on a plate with a fork

Blueberry Crumb Bars are best cut cold.

For best results refrigerate cooled Blueberry Crumb Bars for an hour before slicing. There’s loads of gooey filling in these bars so it’s best to wait until it’s set. However, you can eat these bars warm from the oven. You may need a fork but that’s okay. We love them warm, room temperature and slightly chilled!

Our Blueberry Bars can be cut into wedges, squares or rectangles as we’ve done here. You can also bake the mixture in a 9-inch square pan for a thicker bar. They’re great anyway you slice ’em!

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before serving.

 

A stack of blueberry bars on a plate

The amazing blueberry!

Blueberries are one of the few fruits native to North America. They’re loaded with healthy antioxidants which are linked to improved memory in older adults. I say eat more blueberries!

These indigo-colored berries never cease to amaze and inspire. How can such a tiny little package contain so much intense flavor! Blueberries are second only to strawberries in US consumption and it’s easy to see why.

You’ll find blueberries in everything from BBQ, salads, smoothies, pies, scones, sauces, popsicles and cakes. It seems blueberries make everything delicious!

 

Thanks for PINNING!

An overhead view of a plate of blueberry crumb bars drizzled with a lemon icing

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A plate of blueberry crumb bars topped with lemon icing

Blueberry Crumb Bars

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: 16
Course: Dessert
Author: Tricia
Pin RecipePrint RecipeRate Recipe
5 from 5 votes
This simple dessert is saturated with intense blueberry flavor and hints of bright, fresh lemon on a buttery crust

Ingredients

for the crust:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar (222g)
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (378g)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 cup cold unsalted butter cut into cubes (226g or 16 tablespoons)
  • 1 large egg lightly beaten

for the blueberry layer:

  • ½ cup granulated sugar (110g)
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
  • 5 cups blueberries (about 1 1/2 pounds)

for the icing: (optional)

  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • juice of ½ lemon +/- for desired consistency

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F if using a glass pan. See Note if using a metal pan.  Lightly grease a 13×9-inch pan and set aside.

To prepare the crust:

  • In a medium bowl whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. Using a pasty cutter or food processor cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand. Add the beaten egg and mix until the dough starts to hold together but is till crumbly. Press a little more than half the dough into the prepared pan. Set aside.

To prepare the blueberry mixture:

  • In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Add the blueberries and toss gently with a rubber spatula to combine. Pour the blueberry mixture over the crust and spread evenly. Crumble the remaining dough (with some larger clumps) over the blueberry layer leaving some blueberries exposed and peaking through the crust.
  • Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. Cool completely then chill for cleaner cuts. Cut into small squares, bars or wedges. Whisk together the icing ingredients and lightly drizzle each bar as desired.

Recipe Notes

If using a metal baking pan preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake bars for 45-50 minutes or until set in the middle.
Bars are best cut after being refrigerated. You can also serve them slightly warm but they do not hold together as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 70mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 394IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg

We know you’re going to LOVE these Blueberry Crumb Bars! What’s your favorite fruit filled bar?

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50 Comments

  2. Katy

    5 stars
    Delicious!!! I kept a few bars and sent some to a neighbor and another dear family. All enjoyed the blueberry bars! I definitely will keep this recipe and make it again. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      What a sweet neighbor you are Katy! I’m so glad everyone enjoyed these bars. They’re so full of blueberry flavor. We really love them. Thank you for taking the time to comment and for trying the recipe.

      Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Brittany. These bars keep for 3-4 days at room temperature but will keep a bit longer if refrigerated. I recommend refrigeration and letting them sit at room temperature about 30 minutes before serving. However, they are pretty great eaten cold too! Enjoy – hope you like these delicious little bars! Thanks 🙂

      Reply

  4. Supriya Kuttty

    I adore blueberries. I could eat the whole box of blueberries in one sitting. It’s really easy to make at home. These blueberries bars look perfect! Yummy! I must say It looks incredible. Looking forward to more recipes, Thanks for sharing this with us. Best wishes and Regards

    Reply

  5. Janet

    I made these bars today and followed the recipe as written. The crust in the middle of the pan came out mushy and didn’t hold together ( the sides were fine). I used a metal pan and followed those recipe notes. Any thoughts on what went wrong? My husband still loved them:)

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Janet – sorry you had some trouble with these bars. They are very moist for sure, with all those blueberries in the filling. It sounds like they needed to bake just a little longer. Using a metal pan, the temperature should be set higher at 375 degrees. If you did that, the only other thing I can offer is all ovens cook differently, humidity affects baking, the moisture in butter varies from brand to brand (I use Land-O-Lakes) and if you used frozen berries, they would need to be thawed and dried first. I’m glad your husband liked them anyway. Try refrigerating the bars before cutting and baking just a little longer (5-10 minutes). As you see in the photos, the bars are juicy in the middle but the bottom crust holds up well enough for them to be stacked. Thanks for trying them and for giving feedback. I hope you’ll try again!

      Reply

  6. Robyn

    Oh my gosh, Tricia, so much deliciousness! I can never decide which berry is my favourite but this sure is my favourite time of year. These are even easy enough for me to make! Sharing 🙂

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Haha Robyn – I think my favorite berries are the ones in season, whenever that is. I’m just smitten with blackberries, blueberries and especially strawberries. LOVE them all! I know you can make these and so much more 🙂

      Reply

  8. Abbe@This is How I Cook

    I love bars with crumbs and these look perfect. I also love that they are loaded with blueberries and not teasing me like some tend to do! This reminds me I best get some loaves of blueberry bread in the freezer soon!

    Reply

  9. Pam

    Ummm,mmm, Tricia! You did it again! The bars looks incredible! I love blueberries and with lemon and in a bar, perfect! We really need to move next door to you! Thanks for the recipe and have a fun-filled week! Hugs

    Reply

  11. Julie G.

    I have tons of blueberries in the freezer from when they were on sale. How would you suggest I handle them for this recipe? Defrost first and make sure they’re dry or just use them frozen? I really would love to make this!

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      Hi Julie – thanks for the great question. I think you are correct in defrosting first on paper towels or something so they are not as wet which can affect the crumb bottom and top. I would love to hear how these turn our for you – and I’m sure our readers would too. Good luck and thanks so much!

      Reply

  17. Monica

    Oh my – how totally irresistible. I can almost taste them. They look beautiful and I bet they taste even better with all that sweet goodness with the pop of blueberries. Great recipe, Tricia!

    Reply

  21. Chris Scheuer

    Just bought four pints of blueberries as they were so cheap I couldn’t resist. I have an idea these beautiful crumb bars would be very popular around here! Pinning and sharing!

    Reply

  22. Liz

    Bill will not eat fresh blueberries, but he loves blueberry pie and crisp. I know these gorgeous bars would be a huge hit with my family!

    Reply

  24. Shashi at Savory Spin

    I adore blueberries – I could eat a whole box in a sitting – but, I’d much rather enjoy them in these decadently delicious crumb bars cos crumb anything + blueberries = a match made in heaven – right?! 🙂

    Reply

    • Tricia Buice

      I know what you mean Angie – they can be eaten warm but don’t come out as perfect. But pretty, precise cuts are not important when there is a warm blueberry crumble to be had! Thank you 🙂

      Reply

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