Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
Perfectly sweet and bursting with juicy blueberries, these healthy blueberry crumble bars are sure to become your new favorite summertime treat! Not only are these bars perfect for serving at a summer picnic or barbecue, but they also contain just a little over 1/2 cup of sugar for the entire pan! And, even better, these bars are packed with healthy fats from almond flour, almond butter and chia seeds for a dessert that will actually nourish your body!
There are many things I love about summertime, like sunshine, sandals and sunglasses, but one of my favorite treats to enjoy throughout the warm months is blueberries. Out of all the berry varieties (fun fact: did you know bananas are berries?!), I’ll have to admit that blueberries are my favorite. They’re sweet, juicy and easy to just pop into your mouth as you bask in the summer sun.
But, do you know what’s even better than fresh blueberries? Blueberry pie, or, in this case, blueberry crumble bars. Blueberry pie filling is absolutely scrumptious; the epitamy of summertime. And these healthy blueberry crumble bars contain a delicious pie filling that embodies all the juicy goodness of blueberries, but without you having to go to all the work of making pie crust. I mean, who doesn’t want an easy dessert?? Count me in!
Most blueberry pies/crumbles/cobblers contain well over a cup of sugar, which, albeit delicious, can often leave you feeling a little crummy. To combat this problem, I’ve created a dessert for you that is much lower in sugar so that you can enjoy dessert all summer long, while still feeling your best too!
Ingredients You Need
Almond Flour~ Almond flour consists of raw almonds that have been ground into a fine powder to make “flour”. Not only does this flour contain healthy fats and protein, but it also adds a lovely rich and nutty flavor that complements the blueberries very well. For this recipe, don’t substitute with regular white or whole wheat flour.
Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats~ For this recipe, I prefer to use old-fashioned oats, however you can use quick oats in a pinch. Do not use steel cut oats.
Brown Sugar~ I like brown sugar in the crumble, so I don’t recommend making substitutions. White sugar might work if that’s all you have, but I cannot vouch for those results. Do not use any liquid sweeteners as they will alter the texture of the crumble.
Cinnamon + Salt~ Both of these ingredients add lots of flavor to the crumble, so I highly don’t recommend omitting.
Almond Butter~ To hold the crumble together, I like to use almond butter. Almond butter adds healthy fats and protein, along with a nutty flavor. When using almond butter, the crust will be more crumbly and not hold together as well, so if you want a more traditional crust you will need to use melted butter instead. Melted butter will hold the crust together better, but you don’t get the added benefits of protein. All that said, either one will work great, depending on what you’re going for!
Blueberries~ Either fresh or frozen berries work.
White Sugar~ You can really just use whatever sweetener you want in the blueberry filling. I used white sugar, but honey, maple syrup, brown sugar or agave syrup all work.
Chia Seeds~ To thicken the blueberry filling, you will need to use chia seeds instead of cornstarch or flour. I think adding chia seeds is a great way to boost healthy fats, protein and fiber, and you can’t even taste them!
Lemon Juice + Zest~ You will need about 1 large lemon to have enough juice and zest for the filling.
The Dance
To begin making these healthy blueberry crumble bars, start by stirring together all of the crumble ingredients. Press half of the mixture into a pan using your hands or the back of a measuring cup and set the other half aside.
Make the blueberry filling by combining the filling ingredients in a saucepan and cooking on the stove until the mixture starts to bubble. Remove the filling from heat and pour over crust, then top with the remaining crumble. Bake until the topping is golden brown. Let the blueberry crumble cool before serving with vanilla ice cream if desired. View the video below for a recipe visual:
These healthy blueberry crumble bars are perfect for taking to picnics, family/friend gatherings, or even Fourth of July cookouts this summer! They’re fresh, summery, and sure to be quickly devoured by all, both young and old. No one will even know that they are healthy! Unless you let them in on the secret of course 😉 Hope you enjoy!
Need more recipes featuring blueberries? These are some of my favorites:
Blueberry & Cinnamon Crumble Bread
Blueberry Coconut Granola with Almonds
Healthy Blueberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Crumble Crust and Topping
- 2 cups almond flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup almond butter see notes
Blueberry Filling
- 3 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
- 3 tbsp sweetener of choice (ie. white sugar, honey, maple syrup)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1 tbsp lemon zest about 1 large lemon
- 2 tbsp lemon juice about 1 large lemon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 °F and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and almond butter. Stir until the mixture is crumbly and sticks together slightly. You might need to use your hands to get the ingredients completely incorporated.
- Firmly press half of the crumble mixture into your prepared pan to form a crust and then set the rest of the crumble aside to use for the topping.
- For the filling, combine the blueberries, sweetener, chia seeds, lemon zest and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a simmer. Allow the mixture to bubble for 1-2 minutes before removing from heat and pouring over the prepared crumble crust.
- Top the blueberry filling with the remaining crumble topping and then place the pan in the oven to bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown. Allow to cool at least 30 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream if desired.
These bars are very good. I love blueberries in almost any dish and this is amazing! The last post I reviewed was for clementine sorbet, and this one is even better. 😉
Glad you enjoyed this recipe, Reginald!
Sounds absolutely delicious. I love blueberry desserts.