Vegan Strawberry Crumble Bars

It’s no secret that I LOVE strawberries! There is something unique about these sweet, fragrant strawberries; I have a strong urge to buy a boat-load of them the moment I spot them. These large berries’ pleasurable sights always put a smile on my face. 

And imagine all kinds of wonderful treats you can make with them. They’re so versatile that you can create just about anything ranging from mousse to ice creams, daiquiris, flavored water, breakfast granola, and much more.

Most of the time, we enjoy fresh strawberries as is – straight from the bowl. 

Vegan Strawberry crumble bars

 A shortbread cookie base + fresh strawberry layer + crumb topping = a crowd-pleasing dessert is ready that is 

» Easy to make – You don’t need any expertise to makes these vegan strawberry crumble bars. The fuss-free shortbread crust comes together in no time in a stand mixer or food processor, and after that, it’s just layering. 

» Extremely indulgent – The buttery crust and the lovely strawberry layer nestled between the crust and crumb topping make these bars the most addictive and indulgent treat!

» The snack on-the-go- The best part about these bars is that it’s portable, meaning you can take them with you in a sealed container and enjoy them when hunger hits. It’s the perfect handheld snack – no plates or forks required. 

» Customizable – These strawberry vegan bars can be customized to your tastes. No strawberries? No worries! You can substitute the strawberries with just about any berry you have on hand. These vegan strawberry crumble bars are a regular treat at our house!

Ingredients required for Vegan Strawberry Crumble bars

» Flour – Nothing fancy, our plain old all-purpose flour works the best. It gives these bars a perfect shortbread kind of structure and the perfect crumb. 

» Baking powder – just a small amount will create a lighter shortbread crust.

» Salt – Just a little bit to balance out the sugar and the overall flavor of these strawberry bars. 

» Sugar – I have used granulated sugar to sweeten the bars; however, you can use brown sugar to add depth of flavor and nice caramel color to our bars. 

» Butter – I have used Melts butter to attain that melt-in-your-mouth crumbly texture. In addition to that, vegan butter lends a nice golden color to the shortbread crust. If not vegan, you can use regular sugar. 

» Strawberry extract – just a hint of extract will bring out the more pronounced strawberry flavor. 

» Strawberries – I have used fresh strawberries, washed, trimmed, and roughly cut into large pieces because the larger the pieces, the more likely you to taste them when you bite into these bars. 

» Lemon zest – Just a little zest will enhance the strawberries’ flavor and will really let the strawberry sweet-tarty-flavor shine.

» Cornstarch – This will absorb the extra moisture from the strawberries and prevent them from becoming too mushy. 

How to make Vegan Strawberry Crumble bars?

It is a straightforward recipe that involves three simple steps, which makes it practically foolproof. It includes a –

• Bottom layer – a delectable shortbread layer that has a lovely buttery crumb that will just melt-in-your-mouth
• Middle layer – a soft and perfectly sweet fresh strawberry layer
• Top layer – crumble topping. Parts of butter, sugar, flour, and almonds lend the perfect crunch and texture to these bars. 

» Preheat the oven – Preheat your oven to 350°F. Spray an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line it with parchment paper. Allow the parchment paper to overhang on each side as it makes it easy to lift our baked strawberry bars. Set aside. 

» Make the crust – Combine all the crust ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Blend everything until it becomes saturated and collects together like a dough. 

» Bake the crust – Transfer the prepared dough to the parchment paper-lined baking pan. Press the shortbread mixture firmly into the bottom of the pan. Place this pan into the preheated oven and partially bake the dough (for about 15 minutes) until it firms up and feels dry on the top. Remove from oven and set it on the counter to cool completely. 

» Prepare the crumble topping – Mix all the ingredients for the crumble topping in a bowl until it’s well blended. Set aside.  

» Prepare the filling – Combine strawberries, lemon zest, cornstarch, and sugar in a bowl. Toss to combine. Spread the strawberry topping on the cooled shortbread crust in a single layer. Cover your filling with the crumble topping. Evenly distribute the crumble topping over the strawberry layer. 

» Bake your vegan strawberry crumble bars – Bake the crumble bars for about 35-45 minutes or until the crumble topping has attained a slightly brown color. 

» Cool your bars – Remove the bars from the oven and set them on the county to cool. Once cooled and firmed, carefully lift the parchment paper to slide the strawberry bars out from the pan. Using a sharp knife, cut into squares and enjoy!

Tips for making the best vegan Strawberry crumble bars

» Adjust the sugar – If your strawberries are sweet, you can reduce the amount of sugar in the filling. Likewise, you can increase the sweetness in the filling if the strawberries are not too sweet. 

» Allergic to nuts – You can swap the almonds with old fashioned rolled oats. 

» Cornstarch is a must – Please do not skip cornstarch as it prevents the strawberries from turning too mushy. On similar lines, cornstarch can be substituted with arrowroot flour. 

» Do not overcook the crust – All we need is a firmed-up-partially-cooked shortbread crust. The rest of the baking will be completed when the strawberry bars are assembled with the crumb topping. 

» Do not use too much crumble topping – I know it does look tempting but don’t overpack teh strawberry layer with crumble topping. The vegan strawberry bars will look more tempting and inviting when some hints of gooey strawberries are visible through the crumb layer. 

» Let the bars cool – These vegan strawberry bars will be gooey and soft when fresh out of the oven. So allow them plenty of time for the fruit layer to set. Cutting them while hot may result in a complete mess. 

» Substitute – Want to try other fruits? Sure, you can use just about any seasonal berries to make these vegan bars. 

» Other delicious options – Are you willing to try something different? Then take a creative twist on this recipe by trying Nutella, peanut butter, and almond butter to replace berries.  

Types of strawberries

There are two teams on this – fresh and frozen. I am team fresh ( always, anytime). I find fresh strawberries are easy to work with, and they don’t get too mushy during baking. 

Double the recipe!

This recipe makes 12 bars, but if you are looking to feed a large gathering and need more than 12 bars, you can easily double the recipe to fit a 9×13-inch pan. If the recipe is doubled, make sure you bake the bars for an additional 5-7 minutes. 

Storage

The leftover vegan strawberry crumble bars should be stored in the refrigerator. They will stay well for up to a week only if they last that long.