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    Home » Desserts » Blueberry Pie Crumble Bars (GF)

    Blueberry Pie Crumble Bars (GF)

    March 20, 2020 / by Claire Cary / 15 Comments

    This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclaimer here.

    JUMP TO RECIPE

    These blueberry crumble bars are fresh, flavorful and easy to make. They’re naturally gluten free, vegan and perfect with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top!

    Three blueberry bars on top of each other with milk in the back.

    This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission if you buy any products through those links. I only link to products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for making Eat With Clarity possible!

    Fruity desserts (ok lemon too) are my favorite kind of dessert. Aside from vanilla cupcakes that is. They’re fresh and sweet but don’t weigh you down the way chocolate can.

    These blueberry crumble bars, or blueberry pie bars as I like to call them, are made with a buttery brown sugar crust, layered with juicy blueberries and topped with more crust for good measure.

    This recipe is naturally vegan, gluten free, easy to make and perfect on a summer day with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top.

    One bite taken out of the blueberry pie bar to show the texture.

    How to make this recipe

    For these blueberry crumble bars, the crust and the crumble will be the same recipe (all made in the same bowl) so the first step is to make this. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, oats and almond flour.

    Add in all remaining ingredients and use a fork to mash the butter or oil into all ingredients. I prefer using butter, but either works.

    The dough shouldn’t be too wet, but it should be dry either, so keep mixing until the wet ingredients are well incorporated. When you touch it, it should feel moist, but crumble easily if you run it between your fingers.

    Add about ⅔ of the dough to an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly with your hands. If you only have a 9×9 pan, that should work just fine too, but the crust won’t be as thick.

    Bake for 10 minutes and set aside the remaining dough.

    Two images showing how to make the crust.

    While baking, add the blueberries, lemon juice and maple syrup to a pot on the stove. Heat over low heat until the blueberries start to melt and bubble. You can mash some of them with a fork if you like, but I generally leave them whole.

    Whisk in the starch and let simmer for about 1 minute to allow it to thicken. 

    Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes while the crust finishes baking. The blueberry juice part should continue to thicken as it cools.

    Two images showing how to make the blueberry pie filling.

    When the crust is done baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

    Add the blueberry mixture to the crust and crumble on the remaining dough on top.

    Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

    Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

    Process of making the recipe.

    The crust should hold up if you just hold the bar and bite into it, but I generally recommend serving these on a plate with a fork since they can get a bit messy.

    They’re best with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top!

    Blueberry crumble bars on a piece of parchment paper shot from overhead.

    Tips & tricks

    • You can use any berry in place of blueberries if you prefer, but I find raspberries and blueberries work best. If you use strawberries, I recommend slicing them finely before melting them on the stove.
    • You can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe, but I recommend using fresh if you can. Frozen berries will release more moisture and can make the crust and bit soggier. 
    • You want the oil/butter to be softened, but not completely melted. I usually use butter and will slice it into 1 tbsp bits and microwave for about 15 seconds and then add that to the dough. Coconut oil usually melts faster, so it should only need about 10-15 seconds in the microwave to soften. If you press your finger into the butter it should leave an intent, but not completely fall apart. That’s how you’ll know it’s ready.
    • It’s very important to let these cool before slicing. When you remove them from the oven, place the pan directly on a cooling rack and let cool for 1 hour. After they’ve cooled, pick up the sides of the parchment paper from the pan and pull the bars out of the pan, then slice into 16 even squares. You can slice directly in the pan, but I find it easier to remove them before slicing.
    • Turn these into blueberry lemon crumble bars by adding some lemon zest into the blueberry filling and on top of the crumble when they come out of the oven!
    Blueberry crumble bars stacked on top of each other.

    Try these recipes next!

    • Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
    • Blueberry Muffins
    • Avocado Blueberry Smoothie
    • Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

    Follow along on on instagram and subscribe to my email list for more recipes and updates. Leave a comment and rating below if you try this recipe and let us know how it turns out!

    Blueberry Pie Crumble Bars (GF, Vegan)

    These blueberry crumble bars are fresh, flavorful and easy to make. They’re naturally gluten free, vegan and perfect with a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes
    Servings: 16 bars
    Author: Claire Cary

    Ingredients
     

    US Customary – Metric

    Crust/Crumble:

    • 1 ½ cups almond flour*
    • 1 ½ cup quick oats
    • ⅓ cup butter or refined coconut oil, softened
    • ¼ cup unsalted runny almond butter*
    • 2 tbsp maple syrup
    • ⅓ cup light brown sugar (can sub coconut)
    • 1 tsp vanilla extract
    • ½ tsp cinnamon
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 tsp baking powder

    Filling:

    • 3 heaping cups fresh blueberries
    • ⅓ cup maple syrup
    • Juice from 1 lemon
    • 1 ½ tbsp arrowroot starch (can sub tapioca or corn starch)

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
    • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the baking powder, salt, cinnamon, oats and almond flour.
    • Add in all remaining ingredients and use a fork to mash the butter or oil into all ingredients. 
    • The dough shouldn’t be too wet, but it should be dry either, so keep mixing until the wet ingredients are well incorporated.
    • Add about ⅔ of the dough to an 8×8 pan lined with parchment paper. Press down firmly with your hands. I suggest lining the pan going both ways, it makes for much easier removal!
    • Bake for 10 minutes and set aside the remaining dough.
    • While baking, add the blueberries, lemon juice and maple syrup to a pot on the stove. Heat over low heat until the blueberries start to melt and bubble. 
    • Whisk in the starch and let simmer for about 2 minutes to allow it to thicken. 
    • Remove from heat.
    • When the crust is done baking, remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
    • Add the blueberry mixture to the crust and crumble on the remaining dough on top.
    • Bake, uncovered, for 25-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.
    • Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. It will get pretty messy if you slice when they're still warm! I slice into 16 squares, but you can also do 9 or 12!

    Notes

    You can use any berry in place of blueberries if you prefer.
    You can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe, but I recommend using fresh if you can. Frozen berries will release more moisture and can make the crust and bit soggier. 
    You want the oil/butter to be softened, but not completely melted. I usually use butter and will slice it into 1 tbsp bits and microwave for about 15 seconds and then add that to the dough. Coconut oil usually melts faster, so it should only need about 10-15 seconds in the microwave to soften.
    My favorite almond butter is the raw almond butter from Trader Joe’s. If you have access to this one, definitely get it! Roasted almond butters have a stronger flavor, so I always prefer raw in baking.
    If you only have rolled oats, you can pulse them a few times in a food processor to get them into a quick oat texture.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1bar | Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 29.1g | Protein: 4.8g | Fat: 9.3g | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16.1g
    did you try this recipe?Mention @eatwithclarity or tag #eatwithclarity!
    Keyword: blueberry bars, blueberry crumble bars, blueberry pie bars

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jess

      June 14, 2020 at 11:04 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made these 3 times and they’re amazing each time!!! Only complaint is we eat them too fast!!! Awesome recipe, taste / look bakery made.

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        June 14, 2020 at 11:32 am

        Love hearing that! Thanks Jess!

        Reply
    2. Susan Frank

      May 28, 2020 at 2:05 pm

      I only have frozen blueberries. Do you recommend draining some of the juice after the berries defrost to reduce the possibility of a soggy crust? Or any other ideas if using frozen blueberries?

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        May 28, 2020 at 5:44 pm

        I would just add about 1/2 tbsp more arrowroot to help soak up some of the moisture! Let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
        • Susan Frank

          May 29, 2020 at 4:15 pm

          5 stars
          I ended up reducing the blueberries a bit longer, and the bars were delicious! I think next time I will try more arrowroot as the blueberries did break down a little more. Thank you!!!

          Reply
          • Claire Cary

            May 29, 2020 at 5:55 pm

            So happy you enjoyed them! Thanks for the feedback!

            Reply
    3. Ciela Tacoma

      April 07, 2020 at 11:22 pm

      if you cut before 1 hour what will happen?

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        April 08, 2020 at 9:06 am

        The crust just needs a little more time to hold its shape, so if you cut prematurely the bars will crumble much more easily.

        Reply
    4. Latasha

      April 02, 2020 at 8:12 pm

      5 stars
      Tried this the other night! Super simple to follow, and was amazing! Looking forward to trying out other recipes!!

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        April 02, 2020 at 8:56 pm

        Thank you for the love Latasha! So happy you enjoyed the recipe 🙂

        Reply
    5. Olivia

      March 30, 2020 at 1:38 pm

      5 stars
      I need to try these. I miss you a lot. looking forward to seeing you

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 30, 2020 at 7:52 pm

        Hi Olivia! I miss you and Lindsay too! Tell your family I say hi 🙂

        Reply
    6. Sarah | Well and Full

      March 24, 2020 at 12:14 pm

      These bars look amazing! I need to try them!

      Reply
    7. Jessica

      March 21, 2020 at 8:52 pm

      5 stars
      Made these tonight and they’re definitely going to be a staple in my house. Easy and insanely delicious!!!!

      Reply
      • Claire Cary

        March 22, 2020 at 1:07 pm

        Thanks Jessica!! So happy you enjoyed 🙂

        Reply

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