These blueberry crumb bars are made with fresh blueberry pie filling and a buttery shortbread crust. Easily made year-round with fresh or frozen blueberries. The crust and crumb topping are made from the same mixture.
Blueberry bars will be your new favorite easy dessert for picnics, family gatherings and Thanksgiving. Made with simple ingredients and ready in 45-minutes.
Why this recipes works
- Ease – Easy to make, simple ingredients, crust and crumb topping made from the same batter.
- Homemade filling – Uses homemade blueberry filling made with fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Crowd-pleaser – Cut into squares, this dessert bar is perfect for holiday cookie platters or an easy handheld dessert.
- Nostalgic recipe – Similar to Mom’s raspberry bars, blueberry bars are a nostalgic dessert.
What you’ll need
- All-purpose flour – Use a high-quality, unbleached all-purpose flour. Our favorites are Bob’s Red Mill, King Arthur Flour and Farmer Direct Foods.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness to the crust and topping.
- Brown sugar – This gives a depth of molasses flavor and softens the shortbread crust.
- Butter – Using unsalted helps control the amount of salt in baking recipes.
- Baking powder – This leavening agent helps the crust rise.
- Salt – Salt is added to baked goods to enhance and balance flavors.
- Vanilla & almond extract – Adds incredible flavor to the shortbread crust.
- Blueberry filling – Find frozen wild blueberries in Walmart, wholesale clubs or most grocery stores. Fresh or frozen blueberries will work.
How to make blueberry crumb bars
- Prepare the filling – Make the blueberry filling ahead and refrigerate overnight.
- Prepare baking pan – Line a 9×13-inch pan parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Preheat the oven – Preheat to 350 degrees F.
- Make the crumb mixture – In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, flour, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine.
- Assemble – Press ¾ of the shortbread mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread blueberry filling over top. Use your fingers to evenly distribute the crumb mixture.
- Bake – Bake for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool & enjoy – Cool completely, remove from the pan and cut into bars and serve.
I love using my cast iron Dutch oven for soups, sourdough bread and more. My personal preference for making homemade pie filling is an enameled Dutch oven. That way you don’t have an ‘off’ flavor to your pie filling.
Blueberry bars are wonderful for holiday baking and incorporating into holiday cookie trays. Be sure and try Mom’s raspberry bars, cherry crumb bars, and grandma’s holiday punch.
Homemade blueberry pie filling is easy to make with fresh or frozen blueberries. Bulk frozen wild blueberries (Wyman’s wild blueberries) are readily available at BJ’s, wholesale clubs and Walmart. They’re super convenient since they are frozen at peak of ripeness.
Wild blueberries tend to have a lot more flavor. They are readily available in the freezer section at Walmart, wholesale clubs (BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club) and most grocery stores. The larger bags are a much better value.
If you love a quick and easy dessert, be sure and try Mom’s raspberry bars, cherry pie bars and cherry crumb bars.
More easy blueberry desserts
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Blueberry Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups (2 ½ sticks) unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Blueberry filling
- 4-5 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar (adjust sugar as needed)
- ¼ cup (½ stick) butter
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ cup cold water
Instructions
Blueberry filling
- Add the blueberries into a large saucepan or medium Dutch oven and cook over medium heat. Add the butter, sugar and lemon juice. Cook until soft, stirring with a wooden or high heat spoon occasionally.
- Dissolve the cornstarch into cold water, stir with a spoon. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the blueberry mixture. Cook over medium heat to thicken. Let the mixture simmer and stir with a wooden or high heat spoon as it thickens. (Note: pie filling will thicken as it cools – so don’t overcook it!)
- Remove the pie filling from the heat and let cool. It can be prepped ahead and refrigerated overnight. Let it cool completely before adding to the crumb bars.
Blueberry crumb bars
- Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, flour, salt, and baking powder and stir to combine. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally with a rubber spatula. The mixture will look like crumbs, but hold together when you pinch it with your fingers.
- Press ¾ of the shortbread mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Spread the blueberry pie filling over the bottom layer.
- Use your hands to evenly distribute the reserved crumb mixture over the blueberry pie filling layer.
- Bake for about 45-50 minutes or until lightly golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
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