Easy Blueberry Bars Recipe
Blueberry Bars with Crumble Top combine the natural sweetness of blueberries with a creamy, tangy filling for a delightful treat. Their buttery shortcrust base and crumbly top make them a perfect dessert, snack, or addition to any gathering. Easy to make and transport, these bars are sure to impress and satisfy any crowd.
Blueberries, often hailed as a superfood, are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and fiber, making them a nutritious and delicious addition to any dessert. Their natural sweetness and slight tartness pair beautifully with a creamy, tangy cream cheese filling, creating a harmonious blend of flavors in every bite. Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars with Crumble Top are a versatile treat, perfect for any occasion.
Whether you’re looking for a satisfying dessert, a quick snack, or a delightful treat to share at get-togethers, these bars are the ideal choice. Their portability and crowd-pleasing taste make them a favorite for picnics, parties, and family gatherings. With a buttery shortcrust base, a luscious cream cheese filling, and a crumbly top, these bars are sure to impress and satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
Why is this the best recipe?
- The combination of sweet cream cheese and tart blueberries creates a delightful balance of flavors that pleases the palate.
- The shortcrust pastry provides a buttery, crumbly base and topping, while the creamy filling adds a smooth, rich texture, making each bite a satisfying textural contrast.
- This recipe can easily be adapted with different fruits or flavorings, allowing you to customize the bars to suit your taste or the season.
- The vibrant blueberries and golden crumble top create a visually appealing dessert that is sure to impress guests and enhance any table setting.
- These bars can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator, making them a convenient dessert option for parties, picnics, or just a quick sweet treat during the week.
Ingredients and substitutes
- All-purpose flour: Forms the base structure of the pastry. Whole-wheat flour or a gluten-free flour blend (for a different texture and flavor).
- Powdered sugar: Adds sweetness and helps to create a tender crumb. Granulated sugar (use slightly less, about 1/3 cup) or coconut sugar.
- Cold unsalted butter: Provides richness, flakiness, and flavor to the pastry. Margarine, coconut oil (solid), or shortening.
- Eggs: Egg yolk adds richness and helps bind the dough, but can be omitted.
- Cold water: Helps bring the dough together. Cold milk, cream, or a dairy-free alternative like almond milk.
- Cream cheese: Provides a creamy, tangy base for the filling. Mascarpone cheese, ricotta cheese, or dairy-free cream cheese.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the filling. Honey, maple syrup, or a sugar substitute like stevia or erythritol (adjust to taste).
- Vanilla extract: Adds flavor and enhances the overall taste. Almond extract, lemon extract, or vanilla bean paste.
- Blueberries: Provide a juicy, fruity component to the filling. Other berries like raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling and helps prevent it from becoming too runny. Arrowroot powder, tapioca starch, or flour.
- Lemon juice: Enhances the blueberries’ flavor and adds a touch of acidity. Lime juice or a splash of apple cider vinegar.
Step-by-step: Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars
- Shortcrust Pastry: Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and mix with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms.
- Divide: Divide the dough into two bowls. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cream cheese filling – In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well combined.
- Blueberry mixture – In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries with cornstarch and lemon juice.
- Oven – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Assemble – Press one portion of the dough evenly into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Spread the blueberry cream cheese filling evenly over the pastry base. Sprinkle the prepared blueberries over the cream cheese filling. Crumble the remaining half of the shortcrust pastry over the blueberries.
- Bake in the oven for another 35-40 minutes or until the top is light brown and the filling is set.
- Cool – Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Cut – Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Tips for Success
- Use Cold Butter: Ensure your butter is cold when making the shortcrust pastry. Cold butter helps create a flaky and tender crust. Cut it into small cubes and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Properly Mix the Dough: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Over-mixing can result in a tough crust. If using a food processor, pulse the ingredients to avoid over-processing.
- Chill the Dough: Chill it for at least 30 minutes after forming the dough. This helps the dough relax and prevents shrinking during baking.
- Evenly Press the Base: When pressing the dough into the baking pan, ensure it’s even and reaches all corners. This ensures a consistent base for the filling.
- Room-Temperature Cream Cheese: Use room-temperature cream cheese for the filling to ensure a smooth and lump-free mixture. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about an hour before baking.
- Coat the Blueberries: Toss them with cornstarch and lemon juice before adding them to the filling. This prevents them from sinking and helps thicken the filling as it bakes.
- Don’t Overbake: Watch the bars while they bake. The top should be golden brown, and the filling should be set but slightly jiggly in the center. Overbaking can dry the bars.
- Cool Completely: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting. This helps them set properly and makes cutting into neat squares easier.
- Line the Pan: Line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes lifting the bars out of the pan easier and ensures clean edges.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can last up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the bars and thaw them in the fridge before serving.
more blueberry recipes
- Baked Blueberry Cheesecake
- Blueberry Pie Recipe
- Best Blueberry Pie Filling at Home
- Ultimate Lemon Blueberry Cake
- See all blueberry recipes
Frequently asked questions
How long will these bars keep?
These bars will be kept in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Cream cheese is dairy and thus perishable, so they do need to be kept in the refrigerator. You can even freeze them for up to a month.
Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries. No need to thaw them; just toss them in cornstarch and lemon juice before adding them to the filling.
Can I make these bars gluten-free?
Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend in the shortcrust pastry to make the bars gluten-free.
Can I use other fruits instead of blueberries?
Absolutely! These bars are versatile, and you can use other berries like raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries. For a different twist, try using chopped mango, apples, or a mix of your favorite fruits.
Can I prepare these bars in advance?
Yes, these bars can be made a day or two in advance. They taste even better after chilling, as the flavors meld together. Perfect for parties and get-togethers.
What’s the best way to cut the bars neatly?
For clean cuts, use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between each cut. It’s also helpful to chill the bars in the refrigerator before cutting.
Are there any dairy-free options for these bars?
Yes, you can make these bars dairy-free by using a dairy-free butter alternative for the shortcrust pastry and a dairy-free cream cheese for the filling.
Blueberry Bars
Blueberry Cream Cheese Bars with Crumble Top combine the natural sweetness of blueberries with a creamy, tangy filling for a delightful treat. Their buttery shortcrust base and crumbly top make them a perfect dessert, snack, or addition to any gathering. Easy to make and transport, these bars are sure to impress and satisfy any crowd.
Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter cubed
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 large Egg yolk
- 1-2 tbsp Cold water (as needed)
Blueberry Cream cheese filling
- 8 oz (226 g) Cream cheese softened
- ½ cup (100 g) Granulated sugar
- 1 large Egg
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (222 g) Fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
Method
- Shortcrust Pastry: Combine the flour, powdered sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Add the cubed cold butter and mix with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg yolk and mix until the dough starts to come together. Add cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms.2 cups All-purpose flour, ½ cup Powdered sugar, 1 cup cold unsalted butter, ¼ tsp Salt, 1 large Egg yolk, 1-2 tbsp Cold water (as needed)
- Divide: Divide the dough into two bowls. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Cream cheese filling – In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to beat until well combined.8 oz Cream cheese, ½ cup Granulated sugar, 1 large Egg, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Blueberry mixture – In a separate bowl, toss the blueberries with cornstarch and lemon juice.1½ cups Fresh or frozen blueberries, 1 tbsp Cornstarch, 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- Oven – Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line a 9×9-inch (23×23 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
- Assemble – Press one portion of the dough evenly into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Spread the blueberry cream cheese filling evenly over the pastry base. Sprinkle the prepared blueberries over the cream cheese filling. Crumble the remaining half of the shortcrust pastry over the blueberries.
- Bake in the oven for another 35-40 minutes or until the top is light brown and the filling is set.
- Cool – Remove from the oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Cut – Once cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Cut into squares and serve.
Notes
- Use Cold Butter: Ensure your butter is cold when making the shortcrust pastry. Cold butter helps create a flaky and tender crust. Cut it into small cubes and refrigerate it until ready to use.
- Properly Mix the Dough: Mix the dough just until it comes together. Over-mixing can result in a tough crust. If using a food processor, pulse the ingredients to avoid over-processing.
- Chill the Dough: Chill it for at least 30 minutes after forming the dough. This helps the dough relax and prevents shrinking during baking.
- Evenly Press the Base: When pressing the dough into the baking pan, ensure it’s even and reaches all corners. This ensures a consistent base for the filling.
- Room-Temperature Cream Cheese: Use room-temperature cream cheese for the filling to ensure a smooth and lump-free mixture. Take the cream cheese out of the fridge about an hour before baking.
- Coat the Blueberries: Toss them with cornstarch and lemon juice before adding them to the filling. This prevents them from sinking and helps thicken the filling as it bakes.
- Don’t Overbake: Watch the bars while they bake. The top should be golden brown, and the filling should be set but slightly jiggly in the center. Overbaking can dry the bars.
- Cool Completely: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan before cutting. This helps them set properly and makes cutting into neat squares easier.
- Line the Pan: Line the baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. This makes lifting the bars out of the pan easier and ensures clean edges.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They can last up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the bars and thaw them in the fridge before serving.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!more crumble bars
- Apple Pie Bars with Crumble
- Delicious Cherry Bars
- Best Apricot Crumble Squares
- Easy Blueberry Crumble
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These are absolutely gorgeous! Perfect recipe.. simple and sweet and the pictures have my mouth watering!! These are great anytime of the year but especially summer!
Thank you, Heather. So beautiful.
I love blueberries and I am always looking for different ways to do them. These look easy and I was looking for something to whip up for my co-workers and I can see we’ll be enjoying these this week.
Thank you, Tina. I hear you. I love simple and easy and I bet your friends will be enjoying these.
I am trying to make as many desserts with blueberries as possible while they are in season! Great to find one more idea- your cream cheese crumb bars look fabulous!
Me too Ruchi. I love blueberries so I even freeze them when possible.
I love this blueberry cream cheese crumb bars, perfect creamy cheesecake and crumbs, I just posted a crumb cake this one is going to be my next recipe.
Thank you, Swathi. I saw the crumb cake you posted this morning too. Looked so delicious I added it to my list of future must try treats.
Oh these look amazing! And I’m currently a big fan of recipes that most might enjoy as dessert, for breakfast! YUM!
Thanks, Lauren. These would be perfect both for breakfast as well as dessert.
I hope there are some left for me, Veena! I love blueberry desserts and these bars look beautiful! I wish I had one right now 😀
Thank you Tammy. Yeah these are so good. Not too heavy on the cream cheese either. They were gone so quick. I hope you try them.
The pics looks so inviting and with all those ingredients that you have mentions they must have tasted heavenly! I will be coming back to check out your blueberry dessert collection
It was absolute heaven Padmajha. I hope you try make it.
These look so good and one could chop and change the fruit with the season. Great for summer picnics:-)
Absolutely Camila. Use stone fruits if you like too
Nice work!! This is a very well thought out and structured post. I love the layers is these crumble bars.
Thank you so much, Nicolas. Happy you like my writing style.
I love crumb bars and crumb buns, the more crumbs there are the better. These sound quite tasty!
I hear you, Valerie. The more crumbs the better. Thanks