These cheery, blackberry crumb bars are a summertime favorite and make a perfect afternoon snack or simple dessert.
Blackberry Crumble Bars
I love crumbles. Maybe it’s the name, it’s so old-fashioned and makes me think of long summer walks along blackberry hedges. Filling pails with sweet smelling berries. Small children with berry stained mouths and grubby hands.
Delivering the blackberries to some long-suffering grandmother who would magically transform them into pots of jam and pies in the windowsill. And crumbles. Served with cream for afternoon tea. But I digress.
These bars are everything I love about berry season in a handheld dessert.
Blackberry Bars
I don’t think I can overstate how quick and easy it is to make these delicious fruit bars. They are perfect for a quick handheld dessert that you can carry out into the yard to enjoy the long summer twilight. Sitting on the porch swing.
These are great to whip up for unexpected guests. Or snack for a kids’ event, game or recital. Heck, a snack for grown-ups getting together. You won’t be bringing any home.
Berry Bars Recipe
The berry bar ingredients are pantry staples. And hopefully you can pick your own blackberries from a nearby hedge. If that’s not available, your local grocery store or farmer’s market is sure to have some.
Raspberries or boysenberries would be excellent in this easy summertime recipe as well. Frozen berries can be used. However, they’ll need to be thawed and drained to keep your crumble from getting too soggy.
Making Blackberry Crumb Bars is as simple as stirring together the crumble topping and pressing half of it into a baking pan. Top that with sugared berries and then sprinkle with the remaining crust.
This is a great recipe for kids to try. They can pick the berries and then come home and make the Crumb Bars. Wash those grubby little hands and let them push the topping into the pan with their fingers.
Easy peasy and you’ll have these bars coming out of the oven in no time. Serve with tea or coffee. Or a big glass of cold milk. Blackberry bars are perfect for picnics and late afternoon snacks.
Blackberry Crumb Bars
Ingredients
- For the crust and topping
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup 2 sticks cold butter, cut into pieces
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- For the blackberry filling
- 4 cups blackberries halved
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Stir together the flour, 1 cup white sugar, baking powder and salt, cut in the butter with a pastry blender until the butter is in pea-sized pieces. Stir in the beaten egg with a fork. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the baking dish.
- Cut the blackberries in half, toss them with the lemon juice, cornstarch and sugar. Sprinkle them over the crust in the pan. Sprinkle with the other half of the dough mixture. Bake at 375 F for 30-35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.
Nutrition
{originally published 6/3/16 – recipe notes and photos updated 1/4/21}
Here are a few more blackberry recipes to try:
Blackberry Lime Cupcakes from a Cookie Named Desire
Blackberry Cheesecake Brownies from Oh, Sweet Basil
No Churn Vanilla Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream from Celebrating Sweets
Raspberry White Chocolate Ice Cream
Christine Kaeb says
Our oldest daughter had to be on phenobarbitol (an anti-seizure med) for about three years when she was little. My husband would cradle her on his lap, tucking one of her arms down between their bodies and holding the other with his arm that was clamped around her. Then he would use a syringe to squirt a small amount of the medicine inside her cheek at the back of her mouth and immediately, before she had a chance to spit it out, blow in her face, which made her gasp and swallow (like a baby catches his breath when a stiff breeze hits him in the face). Then he’d repeat the process a couple more times until the full dose was gone. Not fun for either of them, but it worked.
Mallory says
Christine, It’s so hard to watch them struggle even when it’s for their own good. Things a first time mother has to learn and I’m sure there will be many more things that he doesn’t like in life that will be for his own good. Thanks for the tips.
Allison - Celebrating Sweets says
Thanks for sharing my Blackberry Ice Cream! Your bars look delicious! I love a crumb topping. 🙂
Mindy says
Hi Mallory! My first had a bunch of ear infections in her first year. I learned to put it into the nipple of a bottle and let her drink it from there. If they don’t like it, you can add a little juice to make it sweeter- they can have juice by 5 mos. 🙂 I also learned from that experience to start putting 2 drops of colloidal silver into her ears when they were bothering her. I would do this 2-3 times a day, (no more) usually for 1-2 days and give her a couple doses of ibuprofen and it was gone. Much better than having to do 10 days of 3x/day antibiotics! (Not to mention healthier!) The silver has reduced my kids’ dr visits a ton since I use a couple drops of silver in their eyes also for any eye infections! Eyes take quite a few more doses- every 3 hours round the clock for several days if it’s a bad infection. Hope this helps and try to rest up!
Mallory says
Thanks for the tips, Mindy. I’ll have to look into colloidal silver, I want to avoid round two if at all possible.
Sandy says
Talk to the pharmacist about putting a different flavor in the medicine so it will be taken more easily.
Rheagan says
Hi There – I stumbled upon this recipe via Pinterest. (I have a mountain of blackberries to get rid of…)
As for getting little ones to swallow their medicine, a friend of mine who is a doctor gave me this tip he learned in residency. It helps to squirt the medicine into his mouth, while holding his nose. Holding his nose will basically force him to swallow, and it will go a lot faster. Of course, you’ll feel like ‘mom-of-the-year’ while doing this, but it does work!
Jordan says
Hello, I really want to make these bars but I don’t exactly understand the part about the butter…what exactly do I do with it? And when the bars are done do they go in the refrigerator or can they sit out?
Tegan says
Hello, can I use frozen berries for this recipe? It looks delicious!
Christopher says
“Cut the blackberries in half”!? ARE YOU INSANE!?
Ohhhh . You mean” divide” them.
🙂 Even I don’t like blackberries THAT much.
Laney says
You may want to rewrite the #2 paragraph of the recipe. It’s a little ambiguous. It doesn’t read well.
Arlene says
Hi there! Can these stay on the counter at room temp or do you recommend storing in the fridge? Thanks so much! The first taste was amazing!
Rebekah says
Am I missing what to do with the other half of the blackberries?? I’m done and have a bowl of blackberries starting at me! ?
MB says
I think she did mean to cut the berries literally in half…but not happening in my kitchen…LoL. Since blackberries are so very juicy I decided t cook them a bit with the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to thicken. Then I simply poured it over the base crust and crumbled the remaining dough on top. Perfect…and easy treat! Thanks!!!
Sandra L. Lawson says
Could you use canned Blackberry pie filling? Thanks. Sandra
Pam says
This recipe wasn’t very good. I was expecting a tender, flaky crust similar to lemon bars. I should have caught the fact that adding eggs would change the texture. Instead it was tough and dense. And I am accustomed to making flaky biscuits and pie crust so I assume it wasn’t my technique.
Sharon says
Please proofread this recipe. In the introduction with the list of ingredients you state 3 large eggs beaten. Then in the instructions for making it you list one large egg beaten. I used your instructions with the one egg and now I’m hoping it turns out since it’s currently in the oven. I don’t usually get blackberries because I’m the only one that likes them and they’re pricey but I happen to get these on sale for .99 cents for 6oz. Do I use 1 egg or 3 eggs if I choose to use your recipe again.
Thank you,
Sharon
Sharon says
How many beaten eggs 1 or 3
Thanks
Mallory says
1 egg. I’m not seeing any reference to 3 in the post or recipe.
Bri says
I would also like to know what to do with the other half of the blackberries. Thanks in advance!
Mallory says
That means to cut the blackberries in half. You’ll put them all in the the pan at the same time.
Jackie says
Ask your pharmacist if they can add flavoring to your baby’s medicine. Use a syringe, and squirt med into his cheek. Blow in his face, so he will swallow. Then (most important) clap and cheer for him, for doing such a great job!!! Who doesn’t like an adoring audience? Always clap and tell him what a good boy and he will get better and better at taking his medicine. I did this with my two children. Also, as an RN, I used this technique many times with pediatric patients. I can’t tell you how many times, parents said right in front of their children, “They won’t take medicine.” Really? Why are they having surgery? What did you think would happen when they needed preliminary sedation or pain meds? Don’t say stuff like that in front of your kids, unless you just want to reinforce the problem. Approach them calmy, with a matter of fact attitude. They have to have their meds. End of story!
Your blackberry bars look great! I just found two bags of blackberries in the freezer. I’m going to make these tomorrow! Yum!! Good luck with your little one!♥️
Jackie says
I made your blackberry bars and they are yummy!!
I’ve added this to my “family favorite recipes” list.
Really yummy.