Berrylicious Bliss: Gluten-Free Crumble Bars That Wow!

Summer is here and those gorgeous berries are calling! I've been strolling through the park, trying to find my inner zen, and guess what? The sight of plump, juicy blackberries inspired this recipe: Blackberry Crumble Bars, but with a healthy twist!

Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Another sweet treat?” Well, even though I’ve cut back on sugar, sometimes a little something is exactly what the doctor ordered. And these bars are just the ticket! They're perfect for a laid-back summer dessert, super portable for beach trips or hikes, and honestly, they're so simple to whip up.

Why You’ll Love These Crumble Bars:

• Versatile: Blackberries and raspberries are amazing, but feel free to swap in cherries, plums, or even gooseberries. Get creative!
• Easy Base: The shortbread base is a breeze to make by hand or in a food processor.
• Perfectly Crumbly: The topping gets irresistibly tender, while the filling turns gooey and juicy.
• Healthy-ish: Packed with good stuff like oats and berries, and we are keeping the refined sugar to a minimum.

Ingredient Spotlight:

• Vegan Butter: I used a block, not the spreadable kind, for that perfect crumble texture. If coconut is your jam, try refined or extra virgin coconut oil.
• Sugar: I went with light brown sugar, but you do you! Coconut sugar works great, and you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.
• Rolled Oats: Jumbo rolled oats add a fantastic chewiness. Smaller oats work fine too!
• Gluten-Free Flour: Plain flour works, but a GF mix with starches keeps it gluten-free friendly!
• Spices: Cinnamon and cardamom are my go-to's for that warm, comforting flavor.
• Baking Powder: Just a touch to keep things light, but feel free to skip it.
• Blackberries: Fresh and ripe are best, but frozen will work in a pinch. Raspberries or blueberries are great alternatives.
• Vanilla & Lemon: A splash of vanilla and the zest and juice of a lemon will make those blackberry flavours sing!

Let’s Get Baking!

1. Prep the Crumble: Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl or food processor. Then, add the cold vegan butter, using a pastry cutter or pulse function, until the mixture resembles wet sand.
2. Bake the Base: Press most of the crumble into the bottom of your baking tin and bake for 15 minutes.
3. Whip up the Filling: Combine your berries, flour, lemon, and sugar in a pot and simmer until bubbly. The aim is to have some berries whole for texture.
4. Assemble & Bake: Sprinkle the rest of the crumble over the berry filling and bake for another 30 minutes.
5. Cool & Enjoy: Let them cool completely before cutting. Chill for a few hours for neater slices.

Full Recipe Card

Yields: 20cm/8" Square Tray

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the Crumble:

• 180g Vegan butter
• 250g Plain flour (or gluten-free mix)
• 1.5 tsp Cinnamon
• Scant 0.5 tsp Cardamom
• 0.5 tsp Fine salt
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 90g Large rolled oats
• 150g Light brown sugar (or coconut sugar)

For the Blackberry Filling:

• 450g Ripe blackberries
• 2 tbsp Plain flour
• Zest of 1 lemon + 2 tbsp juice
• 75g Light brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
• 2 tsp Vanilla extract

Instructions

The Crumble Base

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Line a 20cm square tin with baking paper. Freeze butter for 10 minutes.
2. Grate cold butter coarsely or cut into small cubes.
3. Combine flour, spices, salt, baking powder, oats, and sugar in a bowl or food processor.
4. Add butter and mix until it resembles pebbles and sticks together when squeezed.
5. Press just under two-thirds of mixture into the base of the tin.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.

The Blackberry Layer

1. Combine blackberries, flour, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and vanilla in a pot over low heat.
2. Simmer, stirring, until mixture bubbles. Let it bubble for a minute, then remove from heat.

Assembly

1. Spread filling over the base, then sprinkle the remaining crumble on top.
2. Bake for another 30 minutes.
3. Cool completely before slicing. For best results, refrigerate overnight.

Notes

• Use a trusted gluten-free flour mix with starches and add ½ tsp xanthan gum for GF baking. Handle gluten-free shortbread carefully while warm.

Share the Love!

If you make this recipe, share it with me! Tag me on social using the #LazyCatKitchen hashtag and @lazycatkitchen, I love seeing your creations!

Happy Baking!

So there you have it—a simple, delicious, and healthy-ish way to enjoy the summer’s bounty. Give these crumble bars a try, and let me know how you like them! Happy baking!