Fresh Strawberry Bars

Bursting with sweet, juicy strawberries, these Fresh Strawberry Bars have a buttery oat biscuit base and are finished off with a crumbly topping. No mixer and quick to prepare, don’t limit yourself to just strawberries. This Strawberry Bars recipe will work with almost any fruit!

STRAWBERRY BARS

Is it just me who has a serious lack of fresh strawberry recipes in my arsenal?

I certainly have plenty of ways to use them fresh on and in desserts. Garnishing stacks of pancakes and french toast dripping with maple syrup. Or stuffed inside. Tried these Strawberry Nutella French Toast roll ups yet??

However, when it comes to using them in cooked form, I have a pretty limited selection. These Fresh Strawberry Bars are one of the few recipes I have.

I think the reason is that you actually need quite a lot of strawberries to get a proper strawberry flavour inside baked goods. So for example, I wouldn’t use strawberries in loaf cakes like my Blueberry Lemon Loaf. Well, I have, and it didn’t work that well. The strawberries go pale and drop water which leaves doughy pockets in the bread.

Or you need to cook it down with sugar to intensify the flavour before using it inside something, like mini pies. (Oooh YUM!).

This recipe doesn’t require the strawberries to be cooked separately before laying into the bars. All I do is spread a layer of jam over the base (to stop the juices seeping into the base) before topping with strawberries tossed with cornflour which thickens the juices while it’s baking so it comes out almost jammy.

And this is what comes out of the oven. See how the juices have bubbled through the crumbly topping and looks wet? It’s not watery, it’s jammy. And actually, it’s kind of candied on the edges of the bar. <– Quite possibly my favourite bits, except they get stuck in my teeth!

I know quite a few regular readers are big fans of the Easiest Ever Raspberry Jam Bars! This recipe is a variation of that recipe. The same mixture for the base and topping. I’ve just incorporated the fresh strawberries.

I’ve also included extra notes in the recipe for how to make this with all sorts of other fruits. You just need to adjust the amount of cornflour depending on the juiciness of the fruit. So for fruit that can be used whole like blueberries and raspberries, I would not use any cornstarch. For juicy fruit that needs to be chopped, like peaches and apricots, just add a bit more.

Oooh – and when this is made with apple, it becomes an apple crumble bar! Well, with the addition of some spices too.

Wait. I am feeling the urge to share Apple Crumble Bars. I’m saving that one for a separate post!

Happy weekend! If you got a (mere) spare 12 minutes, make these Fresh Strawberry Bars! – Nagi xx

More afternoon tea favourites

• Cinnamon Swirl Bread – easy, no yeast!

• Cheese, Herb and Garlic Loaf or Zucchini Cheese Loaf– quick bread, no yeast

• Apple Muffins or Apple Cake

• Blueberry Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze or Blueberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake

• Savoury Cheese Muffins or Cornbread Muffins (personal fave😇)

And more irresistible bars and slices

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

• Brownies!! and Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies – ooh la la!!

• Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!

• Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars

• Easy Lemon Bars

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Fresh Strawberry Bars

Author: Nagi

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 35 mins

Total: 50 mins

Sweet

4.83 from 17 votes

Servings16

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A buttery biscuit base topped with strawberry jam and fresh strawberries and a lovely crumble. Love how fast this is to put together - no mixers required! Makes 16 sensible or 9 large bars. {Recipe video below}

Ingredients

• ▢ 125 g / 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1½ cups/ 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
• ▢ 1½ cups / 135 g rolled oats (traditional oats, not quick, instant or steel cut)
• ▢ ½ cup / 110 g brown sugar
• ▢ ½ tsp baking powder
• ▢ Pinch of salt
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 2/3 cup strawberry jam

Strawberries

• ▢ 2 cups chopped strawberries (about 375g)
• ▢ 2 tbsp white sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 180C/350 (fan forced). (Note 1)
• Spray a 20cm/9" square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
• Mix together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and egg then mix.
• Measure out 1 cup of the mixture (for topping) and set aside. Place remaining mixture in the tin and press into base. 
• Mix together Strawberries, sugar and cornflour in a bowl (don't do this in advance because sugar will make strawberries sweat = runny filling).
• Spread base with jam (Note 2), then scatter over strawberries. Use your hands to crumble the remaining mixture over the top (Note 3).
• Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until the top is deep golden. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before lifting out of the tin using the baking paper. It will sag - don't worry, it will set.
• Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature. Store in airtight container (in fridge if it's very hot where you are).

Recipe Notes:

1. If you have a standard oven that is not fan forced / convection (i.e. no fan inside the oven), then it will take around 40 minutes to bake. Go by the color of the top - it should be a deep golden brown.

2. If your jam is not soft and easy to spread, pop it in the microwave for 1 minute to soften.

3. The mixture will be a bit clumped together so use your fingers to crumble it onto the top.

4. OTHER FRUIT: This recipe works great with most fruits. For fruits like raspberries and blueberries that can be added whole, no need to toss in sugar or cornflour. For fruit that's juicier than strawberries when chopped, like peaches and apricots, use an extra 1 tsp of cornstarch. If they are very sweet, no need to use the sugar. 

5. Optional extra: ½ cup of chopped nuts into the biscuit mixture.

6. This freezes well! I froze most of the batch in the photos then I defrosted and served at room temperature.

7. Fresh Strawberry Bars nutrition per serving, assuming 16 (sensible) servings. I usually cut into 9 generous squares!

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 79gCalories: 227cal (11%)

Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT

Fresh Strawberry Bars recipe video!

LIFE OF DOZER

Hand on heart, I absolutely swear I do not crimp the hair on his ears. You wouldn’t BELIEVE how many people have asked me!!! #CrazyDogLady

PS Wanna know why the fur around his neck is wet? It’s not from the beach. It’s slobber from playing with another dog. 🤮 Bath time for Dozer!

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