Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
102
Published May 06, 2024
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These healthy blueberry crumble bars are made with fresh blueberries and have a delicious oat crumble crust and topping. They’re vegan, gluten-free and the perfect summer treat!
These healthy blueberry crumble bars have been a favorite of mine ever since I first made them almost 9 years ago, which is crazy to think about!
They’re filled with sweet blueberry goodness and have a delicious oat crumble topping and crust. And I love the addition of the hemp hearts in the topping for some added nutrients!
Seriously, I can’t get over how good these bars are. If you haven’t made them before here’s your sign! They’re the perfect healthy dessert to have on hand this summer and would also be a great addition to bring to all your summer potlucks.
Why You’ll Love These Bars
- Healthier – These crumble bars are made with real blueberries, coconut sugar, rolled oats, coconut oil and hemp seeds for a healthier dessert option. No butter, white sugar and white flour needed! One bar has under 150 calories and only 10 grams of sugar!
- Simple – This recipe requires only 10 simple ingredients and about 15 minutes of prep time.
- Delicious – These bars taste like blueberry pie in bar form. I love eating them warm, but they’re also delicious cold straight from the fridge.
- Dietary friendly – These bars are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and refined sugar-free.
// ★★★★★ Review //
“This was my FAVORITE dessert I’ve ever made and what a plus that it’s healthy! The whole pan is gone and I just made them today (the family loved it)!” – Carly
Ingredients Needed
You only need 10 simple ingredients to make these crumble bars. I bet you already have most everything on hand. Here’s what you need:
- oat flour – provides a gluten-free base for the crumble and crust, adding a mild, slightly sweet flavor and plenty of fiber. Use store-bought or make your own oat flour at home.
- old fashioned rolled oats – gives texture and crunch to the bars, enhancing the crumble topping. Oats are naturally gluten-free but are often cross-contaminated during processing, so if you need this crisp to be gluten-free, make sure you look for oats that say “gluten-free” on the package. I like using Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old fashioned rolled oats.
- coconut sugar – a natural sweetener that offers a lower glycemic index compared to regular sugar, adding a caramel-like sweetness.
- sea salt – enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- coconut oil – used to bind the crumble and crust instead of butter, adding a subtle coconut flavor and healthy fats.
- hemp hearts – these are raw, shelled hemp seeds. They add texture and a boost of protein, omega-3s, omega-6 fatty acids and fiber. I love the Manitoba Harvest organic hemp hearts.
- blueberries – the star of the show here! I used fresh blueberries, but frozen blueberries will work just fine. And no need to thaw them!
- lemon zest – adds a bright, citrusy note that complements the blueberries wonderfully.
- water – helps to thin the blueberry mixture slightly, allowing for easier spreading.
- arrowroot powder or cornstarch – thickens the blueberry filling, ensuring it sets properly without being too runny.
Ingredient Swaps
I recommend making this recipe as-is for the best results! That said, I understand how ingredient substitutions are needed sometimes so here are a few simple swaps you can make that will still result in delicious crumble bars:
- Swap the flour: I haven’t tried it, but I bet all-purpose flour would work as a sub for the oat flour.
- Coconut oil: If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, butter would be the best substitute to make the crumble.
- Sugar: Brown sugar would be a good substitute for the coconut sugar.
- Don’t have hemp hearts? Use chia seeds instead!
- Swap the fruit: The great thing about this recipe is how versatile it is! Feel free to swap the blueberries with another berry if you want like strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or a combo of them all!
How to Make Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
Step 1: Prepare the blueberry filling by simmering the blueberries, lemon zest, water and arrowroot powder or corn starch in a saucepan until thickened.
Step 2: Mix dry ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Then add the coconut oil and use your hands or a spoon to combine the mixture until it forms into a crumble. Measure out ⅔ cup of the oatmeal crumble mixture for the topping into small bowl and stir in the hemp hearts.
Step 3: Add the remaining oatmeal crumble mixture to your prepared baking dish and evenly press into down using your hands to form the crust. Layer the blueberry filling on top, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture with hemp hearts over the filling.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 35-40 minutes or until golden on top and blueberry filling is bubbling. Allow it to cool completely before cutting into bars for the best texture and firmness.
Recipe Tips!
- Simmer blueberries properly: To get the right consistency for your blueberry filling, make sure to cook it until it thickens properly. You want your mixture to coat the back of a spoon without being too drippy. This helps prevent the bars from becoming too soggy. If you’re using frozen blueberries, allow a little extra time for the excess water to evaporate.
- Let cool completely: Let the bars cool completely before cutting them! If you don’t let them cool before cutting them from the pan they will fall apart.
How to Store Blueberry Crumble Bars
You can store these bars covered at room temp for 1-2 days, but I recommend storing them in the fridge to help maintain their freshness and texture. Here’s how to store them:
In the fridge: Cover the pan or place them in an airtight container and refrigerate them. They will stay fresh for up to a week.
In the freezer: These bars are freezer-friendly! To freeze, make sure they’ve cooled completely and store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight before enjoying.
More Healthy Desserts
Be sure to check out all of the blueberry recipes as well as the full collection of dessert recipes here on EBF!
Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Crumble
- 1 cup oat flour
- 1 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 6 Tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature/solid
- 2 Tablespoons hemp hearts
Blueberry Filling
- 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- zest of one lemon
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder or cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a square 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray.
- Add blueberries, lemon zest, water and arrowroot powder to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir constantly for about 3-5 minutes or until mixture has thickened and some of the blueberries have started to pop. You want your mixture to coat the back of a spoon without being too drippy. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Combine oat flour, rolled oats, coconut sugar and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add coconut oil to the mixture and using your hands or a spoon combine mixture until it forms into a crumble.
- Measure out ⅔ cup of the oatmeal crumble mixture for the topping into small bowl and stir in the hemp hearts.
- Add remaining oatmeal crumble mixture to the prepared baking dish and evenly press into down using your hands to form the crust.
- Pour blueberry filling on top of your crust
- Sprinkle the oatmeal and hemp crumble on top
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the bars are golden brown on top and the blueberry filling is bubbling and sticking to the edges of the pan. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely. Be patient, if you don’t let them cool before removing them from the pan they will fall apart.
- Once cool, cut into 12 bars and enjoy right away or chill in the fridge before serving. I personally like the bars chilled, after they’ve been in the fridge for a bit.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from these Raspberry and Pine Nut Bars.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This post was originally published on August 27, 2015, updated on May 14, 2021 and republished on May 6, 2024.
Would frozen strawberries work in this recipe instead of blueberries?
I bet that would work great, Carrie. You might have to bake them a little longer using frozen fruit, but let me know how it turns out for you.
Wow wow wow!!!! Huge winner in our house! Love the simple recipe with only a few ingredients! Made them for a road trip and we al love them, they may not make it far. This may be my favorite EBF recipe to date. Thank you!
Woo!! This makes me so happy to hear, Jennifer! I’m so glad everyone’s been loving these crumble bars! Thanks for the review. I so appreciate it!
I want to make this, but am wondering where the cup of oat flour goes. I read and reread the instructions and cannot find it 😊
Hey Debbie, I used one cup of oats to make oat flour and then you add it with the remaining crumble ingredients. 🙂
I haven’t made these yet. They look delicious. Just had a quick question, can you sub the coconut sugar with monk fruit sweetener? And would the amount be the same?
Thank you,
Tina
Hi Tina! Great question! I definteily think you can use monk fruit sweetener instead of the coconut sugar, but it’s hard to know if the amount would be the same. That said, if you’re using powdered or granulated monk fruit I would assume it’s a 1:1 sub! Always read the packaging to be sure.
Hi Brittany can I use oat flour? If so, would the 2 sups remain the same? TIA.
Was excited to try this after making your blueberry crisp recipe recently. These are SO good! I love the hemp seeds. I didn’t have any lemons so substituted a tablespoon of lemon juice and it worked great. We’ve been eating them as a dessert with some dairy free ice cream. Yum!!
Ahh that makes me so happy to hear, Alissa! I’m glad you enjoyed these bars. Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment + star rating. The reviews are super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it. 🙂
Would I be able to use frozen blueberries or frozen berry blend?
Frozen should work just fine, you might just need to cook them longer because the frozen berries will release more liquid.