The Recipe Critic

Strawberry Streusel Bars

May 15, 2021

Strawberry Streusel Bars are buttery, sweet and the perfect summertime treat! With a tasty shortbread and mouth watering crumble top, everyone is going to love these!

Strawberries are such a beautiful fruit to use in your cooking, their sweetness adds so much flavor. Try them in this Salad, Pie, and Bread!

Strawberry streusel bars stacked on top of eachother ready to eat.

Amazing Strawberry Streusel Bars

I love when strawberry season is here! I cannot help but buy strawberries every time I go to the store or farmers market. They are red, juicy and super sweet! I have several strawberry recipes on the blog that are delicious just like these strawberry streusel bars. These cookie bars are the perfect blend of sweetness, tartness and a bit of rich butteriness that is going to win everyone over!

Strawberry streusel bars are a surefire crowd pleaser! They are buttery, sweet, and a little bit crunchy. The texture and color alone are enough to draw a crowd. These are perfect for a potluck, or family gathering. Bars make some of the best desserts because I can make a large batch of desserts all at once and they are not overly messy to serve. Perfect for little hands to hold. Just try these other bar favorites, Neiman Marcus Bars, Lemon Bars and Cherry Pie Bar!

Ingredients for These Incredible Strawberry Bars

You may have everything you need right now in your pantry. So grab some strawberries and let’s start baking! For the full recipe print or read the recipe card below.

  • Flour: All-purpose flour will work perfectly.
  • Powdered sugar: It mixes a bit easier than regular sugar.
  • Salt: Balances out the sweetness.
  • Butter: Have your butter cold, and cubed.

Strawberry Filling

  • Cornstarch: Is used as a thickener.
  • Sugar: Balances the tartness.
  • Fresh strawberries diced: It is ok if they are about to turn.
  • Strawberry preserves: Adds a little bit more strawberry flavor and helps it all stick together.
  • Lemon zest: Helps to keep the strawberries fresh tasting, without adding a bunch of lemon flavor.

Streusel Topping

  • Flour: All-purpose, again is what I used.
  • Oats rolls or quick: They will both work, it just depends on what you want.
  • Brown sugar: Gives a deeper flavor than white.
  • Salt: Balances the sweetness and helps everything taste better.
  • Butter:  Again use cold cubed butter.

How to Make Dessert Bars

These strawberry streusel bars come together quickly and then you pop them in the oven and let it do all the work for you.

Bake the Crust

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan and set aside.
  2. Blend it till crumbly: Mix together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter. Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients until it starts to get crumbly. You can continue with the fork or pastry blender, but I find it easiest to mix the rest of the way with clean hands.
  3. Press: Evenly drop clumps of dough into the pan and then use your fingers to press down into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges start to get golden. Meanwhile, prepare the filling and streusel topping.

Layer the Strawberry Filling

  1. Combine: Mix together the cornstarch and sugar, set aside.
  2. Strawberries: Dice the strawberries into small pieces. Mix together with the sugar mixture, strawberry preserves, and lemon zest.
  3. Layer it: Spread evenly across the par-baked crust.

Oatmeal Streusel Topping

  1. Mix: Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt.
  2. Crumble: Add butter and cut it in with a fork or pastry. Mix until the butter is about pea-sized and clumpy.
  3. Place: Spread evenly across the top of the strawberry filling.
  4. Cook: Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the streusel topping begins to brown.
  5. Enjoy: Allow the strawberry streusel bars to cool before serving.
Four photos of the process of making strawberry streusel bars.

Tips For the Best Strawberry Streusel Bars

Simple and decadent these strawberry streusel bars are going to disappear as fast as you can put them out.

  • Strawberries: Be sure to dice the strawberries evenly. If you want to cover more area chop the strawberries up a bit more so they are smaller but still chunky enough to give you a mouthful of goodness.
  • Cold: Normally you see me tell you to bring your butter, eggs etc to room temperature, but not here. You want your butter to be cold and stay cold. If the butter “melts” too much before it hits the oven, you’ll end up with greasy blobs instead of light strawberry squares.
  • Get your Hands Dirty: Mixing usually works best if you use your hands. Using a spoon will work too, but there is just something about using your hands that mixes it up best. Just do not overwork it to the point where it starts to melt the butter.
  • Let them Cool: While these are insanely delicious warm, they will fall apart if you try to eat them without letting them cool first.
  • Oats: Which kind of oats you use is totally a personal preference. The regular oats will give you more of a bite and substance whereas the quick will blend in more.
  • Add a Glaze: If you want to really kick it up a notch, whip up a lemon glaze to drizzle on top. Use 1 cup of powdered sugar and about 2 Tablespoons of fresh lemon juice and mix well. Drizzle over warm strawberry streusel bars and let cool. YUM!

How to Store Leftover Streusel Bars

I am not sure you will have leftovers, but incase you do, let’s make sure these strawberry streusel bars get put away right!

  • Room Temperature: Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 2-3 days.
  • Fridge: Strawberry Streusel Bars really do store best in the fridge. Make sure they are in an airtight container and they will keep in the fridge ro up to 1 week.
  • Freeze: I love freezing leftovers to pull out when I need them but do not have time to make them. I wrap the strawberry bars in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer safe bag sealed tightly for up to 3 months. Let thaw at room temperature, or fridge.
Strawberry streusel bars cut into squares for easy grabbing.

More Strawberry Recipes to Make

You know it is springtime when the fresh red ripe strawberries fill the stores. These unique berries are scrumptious, delightful and good for you. Packed with vitamin C and vitamins and fiber they are a perfect choice for snacks, and desserts. Their bright ruby red color adds pizazz and eye appeal to any dish. Serve them as the main attraction or as a complimentary side. Strawberries are luscious, they make fabulous lemonades, desserts and add freshness to salads. Here are some of our favorite ways to use strawberries.

Print

Strawberry Streusel Bars

Strawberry Streusel Bars are buttery, sweet and the perfect summertime treat! With a tasty shortbread and mouth watering crumble top, everyone is going to love these!
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword strawberry bars, strawberry streusel bars, streusel bars
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 16 bars
Calories 319kcal
Author Alyssa Rivers

Ingredients

Crust

  • 1 ¾ cup Flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup butter cold, cubed

Filling

  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries diced
  • 6 Tablespoon strawberry preserves
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Streusel Topping

  • 1 cup flour
  • ½ cup oats rolls or quick
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup butter cold, cubed

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a 9×13 pan and set aside.

CRUST

  • Mix together flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter. Using a fork or a pastry blender, cut butter into the dry ingredients until it starts to get crumbly. You can continue with the fork or pastry blender, but I find it easiest to mix the rest of the way with clean hands.
  • Evenly drop clumps of dough into the pan and then use your fingers to press down into the pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the edges start to get golden. Meanwhile, prepare the filling and streusel topping.

FILLING

  • Mix together the cornstarch and sugar, set aside.
  • Dice the strawberries into small pieces. Mix together with the sugar mixture, strawberry preserves, and lemon zest.
  • Spread evenly across the par-baked crust.

STREUSEL

  • Combine flour, brown sugar, oats, and salt.
  • Add butter and cut in with a fork or pastry. Mix until the butter is about pea sized and clumpy.
  • Spread evenly across the top of the strawberry filling.
  • Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the streusel topping begins to brown.
  • Allow to cool before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 230mg | Potassium: 80mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 534IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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