We love fresh blueberries any time of the day, but this recipe has them baked into a dessert and it’s amazing. The original recipe called for blackberries and I think that would be fantastic too! This dish is best served with a dollop of cream or vanilla ice cream.
I’ve begun replacing butter or margarine with coconut oil in many of my recipes just because it’s so much more healthy. Here I replaced the cube of butter that’s baked into the bars with it. The taste is so light, the baked goods tend not to stick and the recipe has a ton less cholesterol. Try it- you won’t be disappointed.
Blueberry Crumb Bars
Adapted from Martha Stewart’s Blackberry Crumb Bars
Crumb Topping:
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted, and
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup flour
Bars:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil {room temp}
- 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Make topping first: In a medium bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; add 1 cup flour, and mix with a fork until large moist crumbs form. Place topping in the freezer until ready to use. {This helps the crumb topping retain it’s “crumb” shape.}
Wash blueberries and set them on a paper towel to dry.
In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, baking powder, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat coconut oil, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy; add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture.
Spread batter evenly in pan; sprinkle with blackberries, then chilled topping.
Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using paper overhang, lift cake onto a work surface; cut into 16 squares. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top.
ENJOY!
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Crumb Topping
Batter has a “whipped” look. Spread into bottom of pan.
Then top with blueberries.
And the crumb topping mixture.
This is what it looks like baked!
After it’s cooled, it cuts nicely into squares.