Vegan Strawberry Crumble Bars with Oat Crust
Plant-based strawberry crumble bars featuring a buttery oat and almond flour base, topped with a crumble layer. Fresh strawberries thickened with cornstarch and brightened by lemon juice and zest fill the center. Baked until golden and slightly bubbling, these bars deliver a tender crumb with bright fruit filling and crisp topping.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups old fashioned or quick oats
- 1 ¼ cups almond flour
- ½ cups brown sugar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 pinch sea salt
- ¼ cups vegan butter, cold and cubed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups strawberries, roughly chopped
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice(optional)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice(optional)
- ½ lemon, zest
- 1 ½ tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot
- fresh mint, thinly sliced(optional)
- fresh strawberries(optional)
- vanilla ice cream(optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350F and line a 9x9 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- 2
Combine oats, almond flour, brown sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir with wooden spoon or hands until well combined. Add cold cubed vegan butter and vanilla, mixing until the texture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- 3
Set aside one-third of the mixture for the topping.
- 4
Transfer two-thirds of the mixture to the prepared baking dish and flatten firmly with your hands or the base of a flat glass to form an even crust.
- 5
Combine strawberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch in a large bowl and mix until well combined.
- 6
Pour the strawberry filling over the crust and distribute evenly.
- 7
Sprinkle the reserved one-third crumble mixture over the filling and cover evenly.
- 8
Bake for 40 minutes or until golden and slightly bubbling.
- 9
Cool completely in the pan (freezer for 15 minutes is optional), then remove and cut into 9 bars.
- 10
Serve with vanilla ice cream, fresh mint, and fresh strawberries.
Tips
Use half old fashioned and half quick oats if desired for texture variation.
Ensure vegan butter is cold for a more crumbly topping texture.
Arrowroot starch can substitute for cornstarch as a thickener.
Freezer cooling for 15 minutes helps bars set and cut cleanly, but complete room-temperature cooling also works.
Good to Know
Covered container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
Prepare crust and topping mixture up to 1 day ahead. Assemble and bake on serving day for best texture.
Room temperature or chilled. Serve with vanilla ice cream, fresh mint, and fresh strawberries.
Common Mistakes
Do not skip the cold vegan butter step to avoid a dense, cake-like crumb.
Do not under-mix the filling thickener to avoid a runny center.
Do not overbake to avoid a dry crumb layer.