Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

These oatmeal strawberry bars are the perfect dessert for the summer! With fresh strawberries and a tart lemon juice glaze, these strawberry crumb bars are full of vibrant flavors. Make them for a picnic, backyard barbecue, or bake sale- or just because you love fresh strawberries!

Why We Love This Recipe For Oatmeal Strawberry Bars

Our homemade strawberry oat bars are bursting with juicy strawberries with an easy sweet crumble topping. This fresh strawberry dessert is a great way to use fresh, juicy, summer strawberries.

Recipe Highlights

• So simple to make: Our method uses the same mixture for the bottom crust and crumb topping!
• Super adaptable! You can use the recipe as a base and swap in other berries or spices. Swap some oats for toasted nuts if you’d like some crunch!
• These easy strawberry oatmeal bars can be made ahead
• Made with whole grains including whole wheat flour and rolled oats
• Lemon juice glaze is tart and compliments the sweet strawberries

If you love crumb bars, don’t miss our Cranberry Crumb Bars!

Key Ingredients for Oatmeal Strawberry Bars

• Fresh Strawberries: The ripest strawberries you can find will give the best flavor; Remove the hulls and then cut them into small pieces. This will ensure good texture and help the bars from getting soggy.
• Whole Wheat Flour: We like white whole wheat flour for baking, so if you find that at the supermarket, that’s what we recommend. Otherwise, regular whole-wheat flour works well. The wheaty flavor doesn’t really come through much in this recipe, and whole-wheat does add a little nutritional benefit in the form of added dietary fiber.
• Old-fashioned Rolled Oats: Besides the strawberries- the oats are the star of the show. We liked this best with rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) but quick oats also work if that’s what you have on hand.
• Sweetened Shredded Coconut: Coconut and strawberry are a great flavor pairing. Adding the coconut to the crumb mixture adds sweetness and texture.
• Light Brown Sugar: To keep this recipe simple (and so you don’t have to go to several grocery stores for the ingredients) we chose brown sugar for great texture in the crumble topping and bottom crust. If you prefer to cook with unrefined sweeteners, just choose another granulated one. Feel free to sub cane sugar, evaporated cane juice, maple sugar or coconut sugar instead of brown sugar.
• Unsalted Butter: Melted. Helps with browning.
• Honey: Provides additional moisture.
• Cornstarch: Helps thicken the juices in the strawberries.
• Lemon juice: Flavor enhancer; provides acidity and balance from the sweetness.
• Powdered sugar: We love the additional confectioner’s sugar glaze on top of the crumb bars. Note that the glaze is optional.
• Baking Staples: Baking Powder, Kosher Salt, Unsalted Butter, Cinnamon and Vanilla extract

Step By Step Instructions To Make Oatmeal Strawberry Bars

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Place a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with pan spray and line it with parchment paper so the paper is overhanging the two sides like handles.

Step 2: Make the Crust

In a large bowl, stir the whole wheat flour, oats, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt until combined. Pour the melted butter and honey into the combined dry ingredients. Stir the mixture until it forms clumps and the dry ingredients are evenly moistened. 

Step 3: Bottom Crust

Set aside about 1 ½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping, and then firmly press the rest into an even layer in the bottom of the prepared pan. 

Step 4: Bake Crust

Place your pan into the preheated oven until it’s brown on the edges and the center is set, which will take about 15 minutes. Remove it from the oven to cool.

Step 5: Make Strawberry Filling

In a small bowl, stir together the strawberries, cornstarch, and some lemon juice until just combined. Spread the strawberry mixture over the pre-baked crust in an even layer.

Step 6: Add Reserved Crumb Topping

Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the berry mixture.

Step 7: Bake

Bake in the preheated oven, until the crumb topping smells toasty and looks golden. This should take about 20 to 25 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely, for about 1 hour.

Step 8: Prepare Icing

Whisk the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of the remaining lemon juice in a medium bowl until the icing is smooth. Add a little more juice to thin if desired.

Step 9: Glaze and Slice

Using the parchment paper handles, lift the bars from the pan. Drizzle them with the glaze, slice, and serve.

FAQs and Expert tips

Make Ahead

• Make the crumb ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight.
• An alternative would be to bake the bottom crust and store it at room temperature overnight while storing the top crumb in the refrigerator to assemble the next day.
• Make the lemon glaze ahead of time and store it in the fridge overnight, covered tightly so no skin develops.
• To freeze, make the recipe as written and then wrap the fresh strawberry bars in plastic wrap individually. Put all wrapped bars in an airtight container and freeze.

Storage

Keep the bars refrigerated for up to 3 days; individually wrapped in an airtight storage container for up to 1 month.

Substitutions and Variations

• After strawberry season is over, try these bars with raspberries or blueberries instead. Stone fruit is another fruit to try in the filling. Peaches would be wonderful with the flavors of this buttery crust! The key is to cut the pieces small since there’s not a lot of time in the oven for the fruit to break down.
• Substitute any type of spice based on preference. Try a teaspoon of ginger instead of cinnamon.
• Add a little lemon zest to the fruit filling to enhance the lemon flavor
• Add chopped nuts to the crumble topping. Swap ¼ cup oats with ¼ cup of the toasted nuts of your choice, like walnuts or pecans.
• Use melted coconut oil instead of butter.
• Add a small amount of almond extract to the crumble mixture.

Expert Tips To Prevent Soggy Fruit Bars and to Cut Cleanly

• Prebaking the bottom crust gives these delicious strawberry oat bars a sturdy base so they don’t get soggy when adding the strawberries.
• The strawberries are lightly baked and therefore emit less moisture, and the strawberry mixture has cornstarch in it to capture juices that come out while baking.
• Cutting the berries small ensures that they bake.  If you cut them too big they will still be raw.
• Use a flat-bottom object like a jar or spoon to help press the crust down evenly and firmly. This will make sure the bottom crust will be evenly thin, baked evenly, and won’t let the strawberry filling leak underneath.  
• Mix the berries, cornstarch, and lemon juice right before you’re ready to place the mixture on the baked crust, otherwise, it will become too juicy.
• For the cleanest-looking bars, refrigerate them for 1 hour after baking, and then cut them with a sharp, clean knife.

Additional Strawberry Recipes To Try

• This Simple Strawberry Coulis is the easiest way to make homemade strawberry sauce, and it’s divine over ice cream!
• This American Flag Cake Recipe decorated with fresh berries will be the prettiest and most patriotic dessert at the party!
• This Strawberry Peanut Butter Smoothie recipe will be an excellent addition to your breakfast routine this summer.
• Strawberry Overnight Oats is creamy, sweet, and takes only 10 minutes to prepare.
• Try this Whole Grain Strawberry Buttermilk Cake for a simple and delicious cake studded with fresh strawberries!
• You can’t go wrong with making strawberry pie during strawberry season. Try this vegan strawberry pie next time!

Thanks so much for reading! If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my email newsletter to get a free weekly menu plan and the latest recipes right to your inbox. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review. I would love to hear what you thought!

Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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