Mixed Berry Crumble Bars

These easy berry bars with a buttery shortbread crust are full of fresh summer fruit… and they taste just like a berry pie. Only much more simply made!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars – These easy berry bars with a buttery shortbread crust are full of fresh summer fruit & so much simpler than pie! | thecomfortofcooking.com

It’s because of bars like this that I hardly ever make cakes or pies. They’re just so crazy easy, require no decorative embellishments, and, let’s be honest, in small bar form, you feel like you can get away with eating more! It’s true. I know it, you know it. Let’s just accept it and have another.

Nom nom nom!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars – These easy berry bars with a buttery shortbread crust are full of fresh summer fruit & so much simpler than pie! | thecomfortofcooking.com

This beautiful marriage of crumbly, buttery shortbread-like dough and tart, sweet berries has made for the best dessert to hit my kitchen lately. I couldn’t resist Jaclyn’s great recipe, and just about tripped over my own two feet to get in the kitchen and get bakin’!

These soft, scrumptious berry bars definitely didn’t disappoint. Warmed up in the microwave and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, they were an incredible indulgence made easily from scratch!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars – These easy berry bars with a buttery shortbread crust are full of fresh summer fruit & so much simpler than pie! | thecomfortofcooking.com

For spring and summer parties, or just to have something sweet in the house for snacking, you’ll love these berry bars. Stack ‘em high on a pretty little platter, and watch them get grabbed up before your eyes!

A pinch of lemon zest in the dough gives the bars a citrusy lightness, and really brings out the berries’ tartness! If you’d rather use just strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries instead of the mixed berries, go ahead and swap them out for your favorite. I hope you enjoy these bars and let me know how they turn out if you try them!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars

Mixed Berry Crumble Bars

Yield: 9 to 12 bars

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup salted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
  • 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries, or any 1 berry – strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, etc.
  • 1 Tbsp. raw turbinado sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Generously butter an 8x8-inch baking dish and set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and lemon zest. In a small mixing bowl, whisk egg yolk and vanilla. Add egg mixture and cold butter cubes to flour mixture. With a fork, pastry cutter, or your fingertips, cut mixture together until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gently press a little over half of the mixture into the prepared 8x8 dish.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 2 tsp. cornstarch. Stir in lemon juice then add berries. Toss mixture to evenly coat. Pour into baking dish and spread evenly over bottom crust. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over berry layer (I pressed some of the mixture together in my hands while sprinkling to make larger crumbs). Sprinkle raw turbinado sugar evenly over top.
  4. Bake in preheated oven for 35-38 minutes, or until top is golden brown. Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting into squares. Store bars in an airtight container in refrigerator.
  5. Enjoy!

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

Join the Conversation

  1. I love crumb bars, Georgia. And I agree, bars like this make it easy to get dessert made, no large cake or pie required!

  2. I really like how these bars look. Just the right combination of soft and crumbly. Now is the time to make these as berry season is upon us. Nice recipe.

  3. Baking bars instead of pies is just SO much easier. I hear ya, Georgia! And these bars look amazing. I once had this incredible Berry Crumble Pie and I’ve wanted to recreate it. But these bars are more up my alley if I were to make it at home. These are perfect for summer!

  4. Pies are overrated! Bars are so much better! These look amazing and are truly what summer is all about! Berries and crumble!

  5. I am such a sucker for a crumble bar and know what you mean about not fussing with a pie. Why would I bother with pie crust, when I can have one of these???? Hello big squares of crunchy, crusty, crumbly berry perfection. Love!

  6. These look like such a treat. Pair them with a good cup of coffee and I’d be good to go!

  7. Georgia, these are gorgeous! Such a lovely summertime dessert!

  8. We love streusel bars! These look fantastic with summer berries.

  9. You can’t go wrong with crumb/streusel bars! So much easier to make than pie and they taste just as good (if not better!)!

  10. Oh I am so excited to have a good taste of this. But I guess I wanna have it with blueberries.

  11. Oh, girl…your Mixed Berry Crumble Bars ROCK! We must have been on the same wavelength with “berries and crumble” as I just posted my Best Ever Blueberry Cobbler recipe today. Honest to goodness, I cannot wait to make your bar recipe! I adore fresh summer berries and you provided the perfect proportion of ruby-red berry filling to the crust and crumble topping in your recipe. And, the photography? LOVE! Pinning to every single applicable group board at Pinterest! xo P.S. Thought of you over the weekend and hope you had a blast at BHF! :)

  12. Amazing! They look and sound delicious.

  13. Ooooh love the zest in the dough idea. I can seriously taste the tart, sweet berries with the delicious crumble topping right now. It has fruit in it, it’s breakfast! :)

  14. I love crumble bars, and the berries here sound fantastic!

  15. What is turbindo sugar?

  16. It’s coarse, raw sugar. You can find it next to the granulated sugar in any grocery store.

  17. These look insanely delicious! Crumb bars are the BEST….I’m pretty sure it’s impossible to turn them down :)

  18. Stephanie says:

    These look delish, I can’t wait to try them. If I use the frozen berries do I need to defrost them first? I worried about them becoming to watery.

  19. I’d just suggest placing them in a sieve first and running water over them for a little while, letting the water from the berries drain.

  20. I can never say no to a crumble bar! These look fabulous!

  21. Beautiful and tasty! I’m digging all of the gorgeous fresh berries available right now – this would be crazy perfect!

  22. Stephanie says:

    I just popped them into the oven! Can’t wait to taste them!! Georgia, can you give any tips on why my crumb mixture always tend to be on the dryer side when I make things like this? I never get nice big crumbs! Thanks and I love your site!!!

  23. Oh, you’re gonna love them, Stephanie! The texture of the crumbs should be fairly dry, but if you feel that the top is browning too quickly as it bakes, you can always cover it with foil. As suggested in the recipe, when putting on the top layer of crumbs, press the mixture between your fingers to make larger crumbs!

  24. I love little desserts for the same reason – so I can have more! ;) I always forget how much I love crumble bars, but after seeing your post, it’s definitely going on my to-bake list!

  25. Oh, I’m absolutely starving and these pictures are killing me! I think I’m going to have to try this one.

  26. Oh these look absolutely gorgeous!! I know I am going to have to make it!

  27. Thanks so much for the shout out Georgia! Your pictures are so pretty!! I need to try the berry mixture next time it looks fabulous!

  28. Nom nom nom indeed! These look great and I’m all for baking a batch using mixed berries and a batch using just blueberries, or maybe just strawberries, or maybe just blackberries, or maybe just….. :)

  29. Berries..and crumbles…and heaps of sugar and butter? Yep, I’m sold! These look and sound just delicious Georgia. Thank you for sharing!

  30. I posted a crumble bars recipe today too – so fun! Yours looks absolutely scrumptious!

  31. I have been bar obsessed, and that crumble is calling my name!

  32. Oh wow… these berry crumble bars sound and look divine. There is something about a fruit bar like this that totally makes me feel it’s ok to eat for breakfast!

  33. 5 stars
    You had me at buttery. These look delicious!

  34. These look incredible, Georgia! I love the mixed berries and the thick crumb layer. Definitely my kind of treat! :)

  35. 5 stars
    These look awesome. I like them too because you can use pretty much any fruit in season :-) It was great to meet you at blogher. Hopefully we will see each other again soon!

  36. I’d rather have one of these than a slice of cake…they look scrumptious!!! Can’t beat a berry dessert..especially one with a crumb topping :)

  37. These scream summer and look absolutely perfect!! Love this recipe :)

  38. This is my kind of dessert! Love everything about it! These would be so perfect for a summer picnic or party.

  39. I am with you Georgia! Crumb bars are so darn delicious and I love anything with fruit. Believe it or not – I’d chose a fruit dessert over a chocolate one any day!

    xo Jackie

  40. Ummm…I’d like a fork, and the whole pan of these please. I love, love, love berry desserts, especially during the summer!

  41. It’s about time to learn and make crumble toppings. :D These bars look SO good. I love crumbles and I don’t know why I don’t bake bars like these myself! I’ll probably have a hard time to share. Hehee!

  42. Yummy decadence and a great use of mix berries!

  43. 5 stars
    Loooove me some crumble on anything! These look so simple to make and bring to a potluck or BBQ… assuming they made it that long ;)

  44. 5 stars
    Crumbly topping was made for berries! Such a delectable combo Georgia – these look amazing!

  45. Best way ever to use up all my CSA strawberries before they turn! Now if only you can find me a recipe where spring onions are the main ingredient….

  46. i drooled over jaclyn’s recipe too…and yours now too!

  47. I love a big fat bar filled with STUFF. Can’t wait to try this.

  48. 5 stars
    OMG, I need some of this now!!! Looks delish. Will be putting this on my to-bake list. Pinning!

  49. I cannot believe I missed this post, it looks brilliant :D
    These crumble bars are so delicious!

    Cheers
    CCU

  50. 5 stars
    These are wonderful…and the dough is much easier to handle than many similar recipes I’ve tried…most likely the egg yolk…thanks!

Leave a Reply to Kelli @ The Corner Kitchen

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Close
The Comfort of Cooking © Copyright 2024. All rights reserved.
Close
Skip to Recipe