Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

The perfect crunchy base, strawberry filling and crumb topping to create a sweet dessert bar for Spring and Summer gatherings.

Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

You know what I hate? And I don’t mean just dislike a little but all out loathe? Spiders. Okay, not just spiders but all creepy crawlies and other biting insects. Okay, maybe most insects in general minus ladybugs because they’re only annoying when they fly around a lightbulb making me think they’re a bee and cause me to have a temporary freak out moment. You know you do the same. And how about dragonflies and butterflies – they’re okay in my book too. But spiders and mosquitos are on the bad list.

Prior to the heat last weekend, we installed our air conditioners. I don’t know if it’s all coincidence or not and I don’t know what to blame but… the hubs and I have been bug snack for the past week. Just call me Itchy Ichabod (Dr Seuss reference for those not in the know). Was it the air conditioners that happened to be stored in the attic over the winter? Was it the deck furniture with super itty bitty bugs we can’t even see, munching away on us? I mean, I suppose it’s possible – right? As freaky as that thought is. I haven’t seen a mosquito in a while because we sprayed the yard and by we I mean the Mr… so I can’t really blame mosquitos but I still don’t like them. I just want to stop itching.

Oh and let’s not forget the spider I might have squished earlier today. Not the un-scary daddy long legs kind but the freaky totally biting kind. Yep.

Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

Now something I love and am kind of completely obsessed with lately, as you may or may not have noticed… strawberries. I decided they needed to be the star attraction of a delicious bar. They’re pretty much perfect. You don’t want a bar that is ridiculously over powering in the flavor department. These are light and refreshing while still offering a nice pop of sweet flavor from the strawberry filling.

The best part is that these have actual strawberry pieces, not jam. Real, fresh strawberry pieces – sprinkled with sugar and baked between layers of crust. It’s magical how the strawberries soften and create a delicious center.

My little man couldn’t get enough of these. Clearly he’s a huge strawberry fan too. And if you are, then you absolutely need these in your life. I promise these are seriously easy to make, so you must make them.

Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars Recipe from bakedbyrachel.com

PS tonight is question night over on the Baked by Rachel Facebook page! One hour of fun foodie questions. Join me from 8-9pm eastern time. I’d love to see you there!

Looking for more refreshing recipes? Try these:
Lemon shortbread tartlets
Roasted strawberry ice cream
Mini lemon-lime cheesecakes
Skillet cherry peach pies
Raspberry sherbet
Cherry fruit leather
Lemon blueberry muffins
Charlotte Chantilly
Cream puffs and eclairs
Apple cinnamon pop tarts with caramel icing


Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars

The perfect crunchy base, strawberry filling and crumb topping to create a sweet dessert bar for Spring and Summer gatherings.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time1 hr
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Strawberry
Servings: 9

Ingredients

For the base and topping:

  • 1 1/2 C all purpose flour
  • 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 C old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 C cold unsalted butter cubed
  • 1 egg white

For the filling:

  • 1 1/2-2 C strawberries hulled and quartered
  • 1/4 C granulated sugar
  • 1 Tbsp cornstarch

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease an 8x8 baking pan. Line with parchment paper.
  • Add base ingredients to a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter (or a pair of forks), work the ingredients until the butter is no larger than pea sized and the mixture is crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup to use as topping. Press remaining mixture to the bottom of the prepared baking pan, creating an even layer.
  • Combine strawberries, sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Toss until strawberries have absorbed the sugar. Spread our strawberry mixture evenly over prepared crust. Crumble topping over strawberries.
  • Bake for 45 minutes or until crumb topping is light golden. Cool in pan for 5-10 minutes. Carefully lift dessert from the pan by grabbing the edges of the parchment paper. Cut into squares, enjoy. Store remaining squares in an airtight container for up to several days.

Notes

An original recipe from Baked by Rachel

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57 Responses to “Strawberry Oatmeal Crumb Bars”

  1. #
    1
    nessa — June 5, 2013 at 7:35 am

    I’m making these tomorrow!

    • #
      1.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:51 pm

      I hope you do! Let me know what you think.

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    2
    Tieghan — June 5, 2013 at 7:39 am

    Oh yum!! Strawberries are one of my favorite summer fruits! These bars are so pretty and I bet delicious! I love that crumb topping!

    Oh and how fun to do a live Q&A. What a great idea!

    • #
      2.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:51 pm

      Remember to join in ;)

  3. #
    3
    Lauren at Keep It Sweet — June 5, 2013 at 7:53 am

    I can’t get enough of summer berries, especially strawberries. I need to make these!

  4. #
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    carrian — June 5, 2013 at 8:48 am

    loving those actual strawberry bits!

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      4.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      So much better than a jam filling! :)

  5. #
    5
    Georgia @ The Comfort of Cooking — June 5, 2013 at 10:06 am

    These look SO scrumptious, and I love how easy they are! Such a great, summery dessert for parties and snacking!

    • #
      5.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:52 pm

      They really are perfect for entertaining! Not too messy either.

  6. #
    6
    Megan {Country Cleaver} — June 5, 2013 at 10:08 am

    Seriously Spidies? Leave Rachel alone!! I wouldn’t be able to leave these strawberry bars alone, so it’s best that they are a long way away from me right now…

    • #
      6.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:53 pm

      haha! Lil man would’ve fought you for them ;)

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    marcie@flavorthemoments — June 5, 2013 at 10:32 am

    I love that these bars use real fruit…not jam. That’s the way I like it! These look absolutely delicious. I hate spiders, too, BTW. I’ve been traumatized by Wolf spiders no less. They’re seriously scary.

    • #
      7.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:53 pm

      pieces of fruit is so much more enjoyable for something like this! Let’s not mention wolf spiders… they freak me out too.

  8. #
    8
    Carla @ Carlas Confections — June 5, 2013 at 11:33 am

    Gah we have spiders all over here too! I cant stand them!! And they rear up too, so Im thinking they are aggressive. Definitely not a fan! But I am digging all these strawberry treats you ladies are tempting me with ;)

    • #
      8.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:54 pm

      We shouldn’t be scared of such little bugs but man they really do give me the heebie jeebies

  9. #
    9
    Rachel @ Bakerita — June 5, 2013 at 11:46 am

    Yum, how good do these look?! So delicious, and the perfect use of the abundant strawberries in CA right now! Definitely need to try these!!

    • #
      9.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:55 pm

      I want all of the gorgeous CA strawberries! All of our berries are shipped in right now and they don’t last long enough.

  10. #
    10
    Mr. & Mrs. P — June 5, 2013 at 11:47 am

    These sound and looks great.. Would be a hit in our house!!

  11. #
    11
    steph@stephsbitebybite — June 5, 2013 at 11:47 am

    Spiders yuck. Strawberry oatmeal crumb bars yum!

  12. #
    12
    amanda @ fake ginger — June 5, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    Eww spiders. My kids FREAKED out the other night because the world’s tiniest daddy long legs was on their ceiling. I don’t mind those. But the big, fat, black ones? Those are the things nightmares are made of. We don’t really get mosquitoes here but I definitely don’t miss them!

    Love these bars! I’ve got 3 or 4 containers of strawberries in the fridge so I’ve been searching for recipes like this!

    • #
      12.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 12:56 pm

      Your boys would gobble these bars up ;) I don’t mind daddy long legs either so much – they’re basically harmless and they’re practically nonexistent that I don’t mind but they still aren’t allowed to take up residence here.

  13. #
    13
    Katrina @ In Katrina's Kitchen — June 5, 2013 at 2:17 pm

    I can’t handle spiders. I saw one in our laundry room and then I lost it. Now I’m convinced it made it into a laundry basket. And then made its way upstairs. And is lurking in a piece of clothing somewhere. I’m tempted to buy a whole new wardrobe for us all. omggggggggggggggggggggg

  14. #
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    Jessica@AKitchenAddiction — June 5, 2013 at 3:19 pm

    Love all things strawberry! Cannot wait until it is strawberry picking season around here!

  15. #
    15
    Lauren @ Climbing Grier Mountain — June 5, 2013 at 3:58 pm

    Spiders suck!! They are totes annoying. I’m loving these crumb bars! Gorgeous!

  16. #
    16
    Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. — June 5, 2013 at 6:33 pm

    these look amazing girl!

    • #
      16.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 9:21 pm

      Thanks so much Alison! :)

  17. #
    17
    Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes) — June 5, 2013 at 8:21 pm

    These bars are right up my alley! Love!

  18. #
    18
    Julie @ Table for Two — June 5, 2013 at 9:09 pm

    i love crumb bars especially this one since well, i love strawberries and i’ve got a ton in the fridge right now! you and i are so on the same wavelength all the time with same ingredient posts ;)…so i probably would not be able to be in your house during this buggy time since i’m terrified of bugs and spiders!

    • #
      18.1
      Rachel — June 5, 2013 at 9:22 pm

      It’s way safer inside than outside… most days ;) Okay always but we have our bug days and I’m definitely not a fan.

  19. #
    19
    Jennifer @ Mother Thyme — June 5, 2013 at 11:06 pm

    I hate spiders too! Thank God my hubby is in pest control! :) I am totally drooling over these bars. If I can keep my kids hands off invading the strawberries in the refrigerator I definitely have to try these. :)

  20. #
    20
    Ronja @ a dash of faith — June 6, 2013 at 3:30 am

    I can’t get enough of crumb bars lately and these look delicious! Definitely saving this one for when strawberries are in season here. I love those strawberry pieces, it all looks so good!

  21. #
    21
    Laura (Blogging Over Thyme) — June 6, 2013 at 8:38 am

    These look fabulous! I love how they have real big chunks of strawberries in them as well–I’ll still waiting for all the great strawberries to arrive near me (although I did get one big pint from the farmer’s market a few weeks ago that were amazing).

    I get paranoid when I know mosquitoes are flying around!! They LOVE me.

  22. #
    22
    sally @ sallys baking addiction — June 6, 2013 at 5:59 pm

    dying! seriously love love love crumb bars Rachel. And especially strawberry (!!!). I have a pound of strawbs in the fridge to gobble up (or bake with!!) :)

  23. #
    23
    nessa — June 6, 2013 at 8:10 pm

    Just made these Rachel! Really yummy and full of strawberry flavor. I had to put them in for longer for the top to brown, and the bars are a little too liquid. But all in all, a really great recipe,and one that I would definitely make again. Thanks!

    • #
      23.1
      Rachel — June 7, 2013 at 7:23 am

      Straight out of the oven they are more juicy than after they’ve had a chance to sit. The longer they sit and cool, the more congealed they become. However, all berries are different too so if you had super juicy fruit that could also play a role.

  24. #
    24
    Marnie — June 7, 2013 at 4:08 pm

    These are really good! I baked them in my toaster oven and they were done in just over 30 min. So attractive too.

  25. #
    25
    Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. — June 7, 2013 at 11:47 pm

    Crumb bars are the best thing ever and strawberry is definitely my favorite filling!!

  26. #
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    Jen @ Savory Simple — June 8, 2013 at 2:34 pm

    I hate spiders but the ones that really get to me are the jumping spider crickets. They are so hard to catch and basically scare the crap out of me. One time one fell out of the attic while Jeff was opening it and now I always think a spider is going to fall on me. Shudder.

    Love the bars!

  27. #
    27
    Courtney @ BakeMeBetter — June 9, 2013 at 8:04 pm

    I totally agree on the spiders. I HATE the squishy ones. The ones that will make a mess if you step on them. Ugh! I do love the looks of these strawberry bars, though. Can’t wait for strawberry season!

  28. #
    28
    Paula — June 10, 2013 at 10:56 pm

    The mosquitoes here are ridiculous this year! Such a rainy Spring we’ve been having.

    Your strawberry oatmeal bars are just the ticket to take my mind off my own itchy bug-bitten riddled body :)

    • #
      28.1
      Rachel — June 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm

      I’m totally going to keep the hubs on top of spraying the yard to keep the biting bugs at bay. It helps a great deal but not so much if we venture outside of that zone.

  29. #
    29
    Nutmeg Nanny — June 12, 2013 at 11:27 am

    I hate spiders! I usually just trap them under a bowl and save them for my husband ;)
    These bars look absolutely amazing, love it!

  30. #
    30
    Diana — June 28, 2013 at 10:59 pm

    These strawberry bars are absolutely awesome! They are very quick to put together with no fuss at all! I doubled the recipe and cooked them in a 9×13 pan and they were perfect! Thanks!

    • #
      30.1
      Rachel — June 29, 2013 at 7:43 am

      So glad to hear you enjoyed it!

  31. #
    31
    Monica — September 9, 2013 at 9:04 am

    I made these last week with my kids. They loved making the crumb and chopping the strawberries. However, they hated them. Every adult that has tried them absolutely loves them and can’t believe that my kids won’t eat them. Maybe they’re just weird. The first day I made them, I must’ve eaten three right on the spot they’re so delicious.

    • #
      31.1
      Rachel — September 9, 2013 at 10:07 am

      That’s too funny! My kids are the same way sometimes. So glad the adults all enjoyed them :)

  32. #
    32
    Kitty — January 11, 2014 at 4:22 pm

    I just made these. I’ve been craving something fruity and sweet but on the lighter side and these turned out amazing. I ended up using 2.5 cups of blueberries that I had frozen in my freezer and I added a bit of cinnamon and vanilla to the mixture. I also used half a cup of whole wheat flour instead of 1.5 cups all purpose flour and I don’t taste any difference. I’m totally going to make these on a regular basis. Trying to lose that last 20 pounds is really hard especially when you really love sweets and candy.

    • #
      32.1
      Rachel — January 12, 2014 at 8:31 am

      I’m glad to hear you enjoyed them :) And I totally agree – sweets definitely make that very hard! Good luck!!

  33. #
    33
    Nadine Osborne — March 6, 2014 at 8:04 am

    I made these and shared with a friend and her family, they’re delicious! She asked for the recipe, I shared. Thank you for sharing.

    • #
      33.1
      Rachel — March 6, 2014 at 12:54 pm

      So glad to hear everyone enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing :)

  34. #
    34
    Jessica S — March 12, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Has anyone tried freezing these after baking? They look delicious.

  35. #
    35
    Holly — July 7, 2014 at 9:18 am

    I love this recipe! I have made it exactly as written, with strawberry and rhubarb, and with tart cherries. All were delicious! I love that the bottom crust comes our crunchy, and the top soft. It is so easy too.
    And I have frozen these and the bottoms get slightly soft, but otherwise they were great!

    • #
      35.1
      Rachel — July 7, 2014 at 7:00 pm

      So glad you enjoyed them! Love your changes for other flavors too :) Thanks for sharing!

  36. #
    36
    Andy — July 10, 2014 at 12:31 pm

    Should the bars be stored in the refrigerator??

    • #
      36.1
      Rachel — July 10, 2014 at 7:04 pm

      It’s personal preference on how they’re stored. Some may prefer them chilled while others may prefer room temperature. Since there is no dairy, if they are enjoyed in a reasonable time, they should be okay at room temperature.

  37. #
    37
    robin — July 29, 2015 at 9:29 pm

    These look amazing! Would they work with frozen strawberries?

    • #
      37.1
      Rachel — July 30, 2015 at 7:50 am

      I imagine they would work just fine, so long as you thaw them prior to baking.

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