Healthy Strawberry Crumble Bars

Healthy strawberry crumble bars with a buttery sugar cookie crust, naturally sweet strawberry filling, and crispy oat crumble topping. Made with a mix of almond flour and oat flour, this summer dessert can be easily made vegan, dairy free, and gluten free. Everyone will love these delicious strawberry oatmeal bars that taste like a summer pie!

The best strawberry pie bars

Fruit crumbles and crisps are my all-time favorite dessert. Now that it is summer, I have an excuse to make a different crumble recipe every weekend! Although I do love a classic berry crisp, I have recently been loving making them into bars. Something about finger food is just the best, am I right??

These healthy strawberry oatmeal bars are a delicious treat made from real whole food ingredients. They are so easy to make and honestly who doesn’t love bubbly and sweet strawberries. It is strawberry season after all!

My favorite part about these strawberry crumble squares is the buttery sugar cookie crust. It seriously melts in your mouth and is so delicious that I could just eat it all on its own.

Since these bars are not overly sweet and are low in sugar, they can be enjoyed at any time of the day. This perfect crumble bar recipe is ideal for dinner parties or family dinners, summer grill outs, the Fourth of July, or for meal prep. They are simply the best thing I have eaten all summer!

How are these strawberry crumble bars healthier?

While the term healthy is relative to each individual, I consider these strawberry oatmeal bars to be quite healthy. First, they are made from a few simple good-for-you ingredients. Second, they contain no preservatives, no refined sugars, and no random ingredients. Third, this recipe is completely wholesome and naturally sweetened with fresh strawberries and a little maple syrup. 

In fact, strawberry crumble squares have many health benefits including vitamin C and antioxidants from the strawberries, fiber, whole grain and protein from the rolled oats, healthy fats from the coconut oil, and omega-3s and antioxidants from the walnuts. Strawberry crumb bars truly taste AMAZING and are the best healthy dessert there is! 

Ingredients in easy strawberry crumble bars

There are 10 simple ingredients and three easy parts to this strawberry dessert recipe: the quick sugar cookie crust, the bubbly strawberry filling, and the crisp oat crumb topping. These strawberry oatmeal bars are soon to be your new favorite dessert, despite being packed with healthier ingredients. Here, take a look at the ingredient list for yourself:

sugar cookie base:

• Almond Flour: for the base, we are using 1 cup of almond flour to make them gluten-free and super soft like a sugar cookie. Trust me, the base of these bars will melt in your mouth!
• Oat Flour: use store-bought or homemade oat flour made by blending rolled oats in a high-speed blender.
• Salt: you only need 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Maple Syrup: to give this delicious sugar cookie crust a little sweetness, we use 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup. This is my favorite natural sweetener because of its amazing flavor, and it makes this base slightly dense (in a great way)!
• Vanilla Extract: add 1 tsp of vanilla extract to give this cookie base a little flavor.
• Unsalted Butter or Coconut Oil: 3 Tablespoons of softened coconut oil (vegan) or unsalted butter are key to keeping the crust moist, soft, and melt in your mouth delicious. Personally, I love using butter because it gives this sugar cookie bottom an irresistibly delicious buttery melt. Still, I have tested them with coconut oil and it is just as delicious! Plus, that means these squares are vegan and dairy-free.

strawberry filling:

• Strawberries: the star of this insanely delicious summer dessert recipe! Use 4 cups of destemmed and quartered fresh strawberries. Once baked, they will be warm, bubbly, and perfectly sweet.
• Coconut sugar: to give this filling a dash of sweetness, add 2 Tablespoons of coconut sugar. This is my favorite refined sugar-free sweetener.
• Lemon Juice: add 1 Tablespoon of fresh lemon juice for a light & tangy flavor.
• Arrowroot Starch or Cornstarch: 1 Tablespoon is plenty to thicken the strawberry filling and not leave it too liquidly.

oatmeal crumble:

• Oats: Measure out 1 cup of rolled oats or quick oats for the star of this crispy oat crumble. If you are gluten-free, use gluten-free certified oats!
• Almond Flour: add 1/4 cup of almond flour, not almond meal, to help bind the crumble together.
• Walnuts or Pecans: plus 1/4 cup of nuts. This ingredient is optional, but I love to add it because it offers the perfect texture crunch and nutty flavor. Plus, walnuts have lots of Omega-3s.
• Maple Syrup: 1/3 cup of maple syrup naturally sweetens this crumble and also helps crisp it up.
• Coconut Oil: use 2 Tablespoons of coconut oil to help crisp up this oat crumble topping. This also makes these strawberry pie bars vegan. You can also use butter.

Ingredient substitutions suggestions

There are so many options for you to customize these healthy strawberry crumble bars so they can be exactly how you like them! If you are missing a few of my ingredients, here are some ingredient substitution recommendations: 

• Make them Vegan: swap out the butter for coconut oil in the sugar cookie base to make these strawberry pie bars vegan and dairy free.
• Arrowroot Starch: use cornstarch or tapioca powder instead.
• Butter: you can also use coconut oil for the base of these bars. Use 3 Tablespoons of softened coconut oil, not melted.
• Rolled Oats: swap the rolled oats out for quick oats if that is what you have on hand. Stay away from steel cut oats.
• Coconut Sugar: you can use light brown sugar in place of coconut sugar.

Kitchen tools used

Gather your kitchen tools before diving into making these super easy strawberry oatmeal bars. This dessert recipe calls for 3 tools, which will make clean-up a breeze! Here is a list of the few basic kitchen tools needed to make this amazing strawberry dessert: 

• 8×8 inch tin
• High-Speed Blender (if making your oat flour)
• 2 large mixing bowls
• Measuring tools: 1/2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/3 cup, and 1/2 cup, 1 cup.

How to make healthy strawberry crumble bars

Healthy strawberry crumble bars are incredibly easy to make. Any level cook can make them and feel like a master chef! I practically have every step already memorized that’s how easy they are to bake. With 12 servings, these strawberry pie bars will quickly become a go-to dessert recipe.

First, start by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, Then, line and grease an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper and nonstick cooking spray.

Next, prepare the buttery sugar cookie base by combining the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. If you are making your own oat flour with rolled oats, blend the oats in a high-speed blender prior to mixing them in. Once all the ingredients are combined, press the mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the lined pan and blind bake the base for 8 – 10 minutes while preparing the strawberry filling.

Now, in the second mixing bowl, toss the strawberries with coconut sugar, arrowroot powder, and lemon juice. Pour the mixture on top of the base once it has been removed from the oven and cooled.

Then, prepare the oatmeal crumb topping by mixing the rolled oats, almond flour, and walnuts or pecans together. Then, pour the maple syrup and melted coconut oil on top and mix it together with your hands until it is a sand-like texture.

Finally, sprinkle the oat crumb topping evenly on over the strawberries and bake for 35 – 45 minutes until the filling is bubbly and the topping is golden.

Let the bars cool on a wire rack and enjoy! I recommend serving with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream topping.

Recipe tips

You do not need to be a profession baker to make these strawberry pie squares! Here are my top 6 recipe tips to ensuring your strawberry crumble squares are perfect.

Use fresh strawberries. Using fresh strawberries will give your crumble bars the best flavor and consistency. That being said, you can certainly use frozen strawberries if that is all you have.

Use parchment paper. Make sure to lay down parchment paper in your pan. This step makes it so much easier to remove the crumble bars from the pan and cut into squares everyone can pick up and enjoy. 

Blind bake the bottom. Blind baking the bottom layer makes it so there is no soggy bottom. You want the sugar cookie base to be soft and buttery, but not soggy. 

Make sure your topping is well-combined. Mixing the oat crumb topping with your hands is the best way to ensure that all your oats are covered and that the butter is cut into the streusel. This creates the delicious, golden brown crisp topping!

Let it cool before diving in. Before dividing your squares, let the entire crumble cool. This allows everything to set and stay together for the best cut squares. 

Easily make ahead. Are you looking to save time and prep for serving guests? Simply prepare the recipe as directed, bake, and then cover it with foil. Once ready to eat, cut them into squares and enjoy cool or place in the oven at 350°F for about 10 minutes and serve! 

Strawberry Crumble Bars Frequently Asked Questions:

How to enjoy

I love enjoying these healthy strawberry oatmeal bars cool at room temperature or straight out of the refrigerator with some ice cream or whipped cream. There is something special about cold buttery sugar cookie crust! It just melts in your mouth.

How to store crumble bars

I recommend eating the strawberry crumble within 6 – 8 hours from removing it from the oven for the best taste. Store leftover bars in individual airtight containers or the original baking dish covered with aluminum foil in the fridge for 3 – 4 days.

Can I use frozen strawberries?

Yes! You can certainly use frozen strawberries if that is what you have on hand. I would add 1 extra Tablespoon of arrowroot or corn starch in this case since the filling will have excess liquid.

Can I use quick oats in the crumble?

Yes, you can use quick oats if you do not have rolled oats. Do not use steel cut oats!

Are these strawberry crumble bars gluten free?

Yes, these strawberry crumble bars are gluten free. But make sure you use certified gluten free oats!

Make your own oat flour in a blender:

Making your own oat flour is really easy and will save you lots of money. Add you need to do is add rolled oats to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until it resembles a flour consistency. This will only take about 45 seconds!

If you loved this healthy summer Dessert recipe, check these out!

Need some more healthier, easy, and simple dessert recipes? Here are some of my favorite Healthful Blondie recipes to try out….

• Healthy Peach Crisp
• Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
• S’mores Brownies
• Healthy Mixed Berry Orange Crisp
• No Bake Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

Did you make this recipe?

If you make this recipe, be sure to comment and rate it down below. Also, don’t forget to tag me @healthfulblondie on Instagram and use the hashtag #healthfulblondie so I can see your delicious creation and share it with my followers!

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