Blueberry Pie Bars
User Reviews
4.5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Cooling Time
2 hrs
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Total Time
3 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
9 servings
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Calories
340 kcal
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Course
Baked Goods
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Cuisine
American
Blueberry Pie Bars
Description
The Blueberry Pie Bars start with a crust and crumble topping mix made from melted unsalted butter, granulated and brown sugar, flour, and optional salt. Most of this mixture is pressed into an 8-inch pan to form a firm crust, while a portion is set aside for the topping. The filling combines egg, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), sugar, vanilla, and a bit of flour for body and is poured over the crust before baking.
The blueberry layer involves mixing berries with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to create a thickened topping that is spread over the filling. Using frozen berries without thawing will require a longer bake time, while fresh berries bake faster. The bars bake until the crust is golden and the filling is set, yielding a dessert with a buttery base, creamy middle, and juicy berry top.
These bars work well as a portable dessert or snack, combining familiar pie flavors in a bar form. Adjust sugar level depending on berry tartness, and watch baking time carefully if using fresh berries to avoid overbaking.
Ingredients
Crust and Crumble Topping
- ½ cup butter melted, unsalted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- pinch salt optional and to taste
Filling
- 1 egg large
- Greek yogurt lite is okay, plain or vanilla, heaping 1/2 cup; or sour cream
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Blueberry Layer
- 12 ounces Blueberry 2 cups, fresh or frozen, not thawed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar or 1/2 cup if berries are sour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside. Lining the pan will really help with cleanup and is recommended.
Make the Crust and Crumble Topping
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the sugars and whisk to combine.
- And the flour, optional salt, and stir to combine. Mixture will be very dry and sandy with some larger, well-formed crumble pieces.
- Set a heaping 3/4 cup crumble mixture aside.
- Transfer remaining mixture to prepared pan, and using a spatula or your fingers, hard-pack the mixture to create an even, smooth, flat crust; set aside.
Make the Filling
- In a medium bowl, add the egg, Greek yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
- Add the flour and whisk to combine.
- Evenly pour filling over the crust and jiggle pan to help distribute it or smooth it with a spatula; set aside.
Make the Blueberry Layer
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, add all filling ingredients and toss to combine. If sugar hasn’t dissolved fully or still has crystals, that’s okay because it liquifies while baking.
- Evenly distribute blueberry mixture over the filling.
- Evenly sprinkle with the reserved heaping 3/4 cup crust mixture. Before sprinkling, I squeeze the mixture in my palm to encourage bigger crumble pieces to form.
Bake the Bars
- Bake for about 60 minutes, or until edges are bubbling quite vigorously and there’s some bubbling in the center. Crumble topping should appear set and very pale golden.*
- Place pan on a wire rack and allow bars to cool for at least 1 to 2 hours (overnight is even better) before slicing and serving. If you try to slice bars before they’ve cooled completely, they’ll be extremely messy and could fall apart. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 10 days (they’re good slightly chilled if you like chilled pie), or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Notes
- Frozen blueberries can be used directly without thawing; this may increase baking time and cool the pan initially.
- If using fresh blueberries, reduce baking time by about 10-15 minutes; monitor closely for doneness to avoid overbaking.
- Lemon juice in the blueberry layer adds brightness and helps thicken the filling in combination with cornstarch.
- Line the baking pan with aluminum foil and spray to ease removal and cleanup.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 9servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 340 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 | |
| Calories | 340kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 56g | 19% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Cholesterol | 49mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 32mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 36g | 72% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.