Description

These easy blueberry lemon crumble bars combine juicy blueberries, tangy lemon, and a buttery oat crumble for a zesty, bakery-worthy dessert. Perfect for picnics, brunch, or a sweet snack, they’re simple to make and bursting with bright, summery flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Zest of 2 lemons (for crumble)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon (for filling)
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (for berries)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and zest of 2 lemons.
Add cold, cubed butter and cut it into the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter, fork, or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 heaping cup of this mixture for the topping.
Press the remaining crumble mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool slightly.
In a medium bowl, toss blueberries with cornstarch and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Set aside (do not thaw if using frozen).
In another bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, zest of 1 lemon, egg yolks, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the lemon cream filling over the baked base and spread evenly.
Spoon the blueberry mixture evenly over the lemon layer.
Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the top.
Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is just set. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
Let the bars cool completely in the pan (at least 2 hours). For clean slices, chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour after cooling.
Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang and cut into 12–16 squares.

Notes

For gluten-free bars, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats. For dairy-free, use vegan butter and coconut condensed milk. Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean edges. Bars can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw before baking.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Category: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bar (if cut into 16 squares)
Calories: 180
Sugar: 16
Sodium: 90
Fat: 7
Saturated Fat: 4
Carbohydrates: 28
Fiber: 2
Protein: 4

Keywords: blueberry lemon bars, crumble bars, easy dessert, summer dessert, lemon blueberry, oat bars, picnic dessert, brunch, fruit bars, zesty dessert