Blueberry Pie Bars – The Almond Eater

Why make a blueberry pie when you can whip up these Blueberry Pie Bars in half the time? Made with an ooey gooey blueberry filling and a buttery brown sugar streusel, they’re an easy and berrylicious way to use up your fresh summer blueberries.

If you love blueberry pie but not the work that comes with making a homemade pie crust, then you’ll definitely get a kick out of these Blueberry Pie Bars. They’re a sweet and berrylicious treat that tastes just like blueberry pie!

 

Instead of mixing, kneading, and chilling pie dough, this recipe begins with a simple brown sugar oat streusel that doubles as the crust and crumbly topping. It’s easy to make in one bowl with 8 pantry staple ingredients and is combined with the juicy blueberry filling to make every bar feel like a slice of blueberry pie.

These bars check every box on the “perfect summer treat” list: quick and easy to make, full of berrylicious flavors, and great for passing around to family and friends! 

Wait… do you still have more blueberries to use up? No problem. Just blend them into this strawberry blueberry smoothie for a quick breakfast or bake them into this impressive lemon blueberry cake.

Recipe features

• As gooey and sweet as blueberry pie, but much easier to make!
• Fresh blueberries baked with a buttery and crumbly oat crust.
• Easy to make gluten-free and vegan!
• A perfect summer treat to share with friends and family, just like my cherry crumb bars and no bake chocolate pretzel bars.

Ingredients

Flour – I used all-purpose flour because it gave me a soft and tender crust every time. A gluten-free 1:1 baking flour should work as a substitute. See the Variations for more on this.

Sugar – Brown sugar is best, but cane sugar or coconut sugar will work well, too.

Oats – Opt for old-fashioned rolled oats. Their hearty shape helps hold the crust together and gives it a nice chew.

Butter – Unsalted melted butter is combined with the crust for moisture and tenderness. Salted butter also works here, but you’ll need to omit the ½ teaspoon salt from the crust.

Blueberries – Fresh blueberries are best! The best blueberries will be easy to find at the farmer’s market or grocery store during summer when they’re in season. However, if you’re making these outside of blueberry season, frozen blueberries do work as a substitute (head to the FAQs below for more on this).

Lemon juice – Lemon and blueberries are a match made in heaven. The tart lemon cuts through the sweetness in the blueberry filling, balancing every bite. Feel free to stir some lemon zest into the filling as well if you love the citrusy pop.

Cornstarch – A sprinkle of cornstarch will absorb some of the moisture in the filling. An equal amount of all-purpose flour will work as a substitute if you happen to be out of cornstarch.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the crust. Stir the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl, then pour in the butter and vanilla. Stir to combine.

Step 2: Press. Press the crust mixture into the bottom of a prepared pan.

Step 3: Make the filling. Stir the blueberries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla together in a separate bowl. Pour the mixture over the crust in the pan and sprinkle the remaining streusel over top.

Step 4: Bake. Bake the blueberry bars until the berries are bubbling and the crust is golden. Set aside to cool.

Step 5: Slice and serve. Once cool, remove the bars from the pan and slice them into 9 bars. Enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• When lining the pan with parchment paper, make sure the edges hang over the sides. This way, you can easily lift the bars right out of the pan—no knife or mess needed.
• Always let the bars cool completely before slicing to prevent them from crumbling and falling apart.
• For the cleanest bars, slice them with a sharp knife and wipe the knife after every slice.

Variations

• Gluten-free option – A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour is the best substitute for the all-purpose flour in the crust. I don’t recommend using another flour, like almond flour.
• Vegan option – Just replace the regular butter with a quality vegan butter. Melted coconut oil may also work here, but I haven’t tested it.
• Instead of blueberries – Use a 1:1 mix of blueberries and the soft fruit of your choice, like pitted cherries, raspberries, or diced peaches.

Does this recipe work with frozen blueberries?

Yes, you can swap the fresh berries for frozen berries. Do not thaw the frozen blueberries ahead of time; toss them with the rest of the filling ingredients while frozen. Remember that the blueberry filling will be juicier when using frozen berries.

Can I make the crust with quick oats?

Old-fashioned rolled oats are best and hold up better in the filling, but you can replace them with an equal amount of quick oats if that’s all you have at home. Just keep in mind that the crust may not hold together as well.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the blueberry bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freezer: Once cooled, transfer the bars to a freezer-safe container and place a piece of parchment paper between each one to prevent them from sticking. Freeze for up to 3 months, then thaw before serving.

Reheating: These bars are delicious served at room temperature, chilled, or warmed up. Pop as many bars as you plan on eating into the toaster oven until warm and gooey, then top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream. Yum!

More dessert bars to try

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!