Oatmeal Strawberry Crumble Bars (gf, nut free)

Healthy and perfectly sweet strawberry crumble bars made with fresh strawberries and topped with an oat crumble. These easy gluten free and nut free strawberry bars are an easy to make treat with the sweet taste of strawberry in every bite!

Why you'll love these strawberry crumb bars

• Perfectly sweet - fresh summer strawberries have the perfect amount of sweetness for this delicious strawberry crumble recipe. You can also use frozen strawberries if you're in a pinch.
• Healthy - these strawberries oatmeal bars are gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. Heart healthy oats are loaded with fiber and protein, and the strawberries are full of vitamin C and antioxidants. This mixture of whole grain oats and fruit are the perfect combination for breakfast!
• Versatile - easy to make with simple baking ingredients and fresh juicy strawberries. Perfect for spring and summer baking or strawberry picking season. These pie bars a super versatile and can be made with different types of fruit, fresh or frozen.

If you like fruit snacks you should try my Fresh Ginger Apple Muffins with Crumble Topping, Best Paleo Banana Bread with Coconut Flour or my Mango Mint Salsa. These easy snacks are great for sharing or bringing to your next BBQ!

Jump to:

• Why you'll love these strawberry crumb bars
• Noteworthy ingredients and substitutions
• How to make strawberry crumble bars
• Tips, tricks and variations
• FAQs
• Storage
• Recipe

Noteworthy ingredients and substitutions

• Oat flour, old-fashioned rolled oats and shredded coconut - this combination makes a sturdy base with the perfect crust and crumble topping. Look for gluten-free oats. You can also substitute with quick cooking oats for a tighter crumb. If you don't have shredded coconut on hand then swap for more rolled oats.
• Extra virgin coconut oil - the oil should be firm. You can refrigerate it but not for too long or it may be too hard to work with. I use room temperature coconut oil which works well if your kitchen's not too hot. Same goes if you substitute ghee or vegan butter. You want to be able to cut it in the dough to allow for pockets of fat to melt into a moist crumb while baking.
• Oat milk - this adds a little moisture. You can substitute any plant-based milk you have on hand.
• Fresh strawberries - berries have their own natural sweetness. If your strawberries are especially sweet then you don't need to add any maple syrup. Frozen strawberries work well too. They should be thawed and drained before starting.
• Tapioca flour - this thicken the filling like jammy strawberry pie. You can substitute with arrowroot starch as well.
• Pure maple syrup - an optional natural sweetener but works well if your strawberry lack sweetness. You could also swap for honey or coconut sugar.

See recipe card at the bottom for all ingredients and quantities.

How to make strawberry crumble bars

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 aluminum pan with parchment paper and lightly grease with coconut oil to prevent sticking. I recommend a metal pan to help the bottom crust crisp up!

Tips, tricks and variations

• Frozen strawberries - if using frozen berries, drain as they thaw to remove excess water.
• Bottom crumble - be sure to press bottom crumble firmly into pan to keep it's shape and prevent it from crumbling when cut into bars.
• Variations - use blueberries or mixed berries with this crumble bar recipe. Crush the berries a little before adding the tapioca starch so they distribute evenly over the bottom crumble.
• Cool completely - make sure to cool in the pan completely before cutting. You can cool on a rack at room temperature or in the freezer.

FAQs

Storage

Fridge: These strawberry oatmeal bars will keep well in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week. Separate them with parchment paper so they don't stick together.

Freezer: They can be kept frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight container separated with parchment paper. Thaw in the fridge or on the counter and enjoy!

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Recipe