Quick & Easy Triple Berry Crumble Bars (Gluten Free)
These simple yet deliciously jammy triple berry crumble bars are loaded with fresh and juicy raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Baked on a 6 ingredient gluten free shortbread crust and naturally sweetened, these berry crumble bars are quick, easy, and perfect for your summer celebrations!
Why you need to try these triple berry crumble bars:
I used to very much be a chocolate dessert lover (especially my fudgy brownies and chocolate cake), but these easy triple berry crumble bars have changed my mind entirely.
They’re beautifully tart yet sweet and jammy, and the vanilla shortbread crust (similar to my Ted Lasso biscuits, but even easier to be honest!) is the perfect balance. It’s like a slice of blueberry pie or strawberry pie– but better. And might I add, way easier!
We start with the shortbread crust: it’s only comprised of 6 simple ingredients, and no refined sugar. We’re using maple syrup to sweeten it and add that robust, rich flavor that’s usually derived from baking with eggs (but you don’t need any eggs for these triple berry crumble bars, so put those away!).
The crust doubles as a topping too, so approximately 3 minutes of making a dough, and you’re set for 2 out of the 3 components of this recipe.
Then we move onto the berry filling: a dream, and again, so simple!! Plus, it’s totally customizable (and again, just lightly sweetened with maple syrup to celebrate the real, fresh sweetness of those berries- because it is berry season after all!).
You don’t need any special equipment to make these bars too- not even a food processor! You’re just going to love how easy these triple berry crumble bars come together, and just how delicious, buttery sweet, and bursting with sweetness they are!!
And did I mention that these berry crumble bars are naturally vegan, dairy free, and gluten free? Yeah, you’d never even know too 😉
10 simple ingredients:
- Gluten free flour blend: I recommend using King Arthur Measure-for-Measure gluten-free flour. It’s the most consistent flour blend I’ve found! If you don’t use KA, make sure that your blend contains xanthan gum. Additionally, if you’re not gluten free, you can swap in all purpose flour!
- Maple syrup: I love using Crown Maple here- it’s my go-to maple syrup, and you can REALLY taste the quality. I love using their dark amber syrup too- I think it adds a richness that one might not get from omitting the eggs in traditional berry crumble bars. It’s really good!
- Vegan butter: I love to use either Miyoko’s or Om Sweet Dairy Free vegan butter. Although I’m nearly done testing my own vegan butter that works great for baking, frosting, and spreading!
- Cornstarch: In the shortbread crust, this acts as both the vegan egg substitute and to help improve the texture of our gluten free flour blend. In the berry filling, this helps bind our berry juices so that the bars end up being jammy! You can also swap in arrowroot starch for those who are allergic to corn.
- Raspberries, blueberries, blackberries: I mention this below, but you can use frozen berries! Just see my notes in the FAQ’s 🙂
- Vanilla extract: Just a touch to bring out the sweetness.
- Lemon juice: This helps the juices from the berries coagulate and form that jammy center!
- Sea salt: For balancing the flavor profile in the shortbread crust.
Overview: Step by Step How to make Triple Berry Crumble Bars:
Let’s go over the basics for how to make these triple berry crumble bars:
Do I need to use gluten free flour?
Definitely- I want these unbelievably gluten free triple berry crumble bars to be versatile. So while you wouldn’t know the difference between the gluten free version and the non-gluten free version, I get that not everyone wants to use gluten free flour.
So swap in all purpose flour at the same ratio, and you’re good to get baking! 🙂
Can I use frozen berries?
Absolutely! The only thing is that you won’t really get to mash the berries, as they’re frozen. Not a problem- they’ll still bake wonderfully, just know that the process won’t look quite like the photos above!
Also- just make sure everything is tossed and evenly coated in the lemon juice, cornstarch, maple syrup, and vanilla 🙂 Then you’re good to go!
Can I add in strawberries instead?
Yes, of course! That would be absolutely delicious 🙂 Swap out any of the berries with an equal amount of chopped and washed strawberries. It’ll be so yummy!
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Quick & Easy Triple Berry Crumble Bars (Gluten Free)
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 45
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These simple yet deliciously jammy triple berry crumble bars are loaded with fresh and juicy raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Baked on a 6 ingredient gluten free shortbread crust and naturally sweetened, these berry crumble bars are quick, easy, and perfect for your summer celebrations!
Ingredients
Shortbread crust:
- 3 cups (375 g) gluten-free measure-for-measure flour*
- 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted vegan butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Berry Filling:
- 9 ounces (255 g) fresh or frozen raspberries
- 9 ounces (255 g) fresh or frozen blackberries
- 9 ounces (255 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
- 3 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- 2–3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 375F, and line a 9×9 baking pan with parchment paper. Measure out all ingredients.
- Make the shortbread crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and sea salt. Add in the melted butter, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and use a fork to gently mix the mixture until it resembles a thick dough and the dry flour is fully absorbed into the liquid.
- Make the crust: Spoon about 2/3 of the shortbread dough into your prepared pan, and press the dough to be an even crust that touches the walls of the pan. Poke a few holes into the dough. Cover the remaining 1/3 of the crumble dough in the bowl, and set aside.
- Bake: Bake the crust for 10 minutes in the oven. Once baked, remove the crust from the oven, and keep the oven running.
- While the crust is baking, make the berry filling: In a large bowl, add the raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, cornstarch, lemon juice, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Use a fork to mash about half of the berries and mix to evenly coat in all of the ingredients. If you’re using frozen fruit, you won’t really be able to mash the berries- that’s okay! Just toss to evenly coat.
- Assemble the bars: Add the berry mixture to the baked shortbread crust, and top with the remaining crumble dough, evenly coating the top of the berries.
- Bake: Place the baking pan back into the oven to bake for another 35-37 minutes, or until the crumble on top is lightly golden brown.
- Remove and cool: Remove the bars from the oven, and allow them to cool for 30 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Slice and serve! Enjoy as is or with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Gluten free flour: I recommend using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour. It’s my favorite! Bob’s will act a bit differently here. Still good, but I prefer King Arthur. If you’re using another gluten free flour blend, please make sure that it contains xanthan gum.
Not gluten free? Swap in an equal amount of regular all purpose flour.
