Wholesome Blueberry Pie Bars with an irresistible shortbread crust! Made with walnuts, oats, and no refined sugar.
It is a crumble! It is a shortbread! It is a buttery, oaty, nutty pie-like creation in bar type with mounds of juicy blueberries despatched straight from the heavens.
As a result of I simply can’t and won’t cease with the summery fruit treats. Kinda like a cousin to my beloved raspberry oatmeal bars!
Once I first conceptualized these, I wished to make an epically thick shortbread crust however with a wee bit much less butter and extra walnuts. As a result of walnuts are so naturally buttery and flavorful, they make an ideal addition to the crust and crumble topping.
Key components
- Blueberries: tons of contemporary blueberries for a thick center layer. Frozen works too!
- Old style oats: for traditional texture and cookie-like taste.
- Walnuts: uncooked walnuts add wealthy, buttery taste, which will get even higher after toasting within the oven. I like that they’re bursting with heart-healthy*, satiating fat for endurance.
- Complete wheat flour: for some further fiber! All-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour works nice, too.
- Coconut sugar: tastes just like brown sugar however is much less refined. You possibly can use brown sugar if you happen to choose.
- Butter: we’re going again to fundamentals with good ol’ customary butter for that impossible to resist shortbread taste. We’re, nevertheless, utilizing lower than typical recipes due to nature’s buttery walnuts. I like salted butter right here for much more taste. You possibly can sub vegan butter if you happen to fancy.
- Vanilla extract: for further pie taste.
- Lemon zest and juice: I like the delicate zing this provides to the filling!
* Analysis exhibits that consuming 1.5 ounces of walnuts per day, as a part of a low saturated fats and low ldl cholesterol weight loss program and never leading to elevated caloric consumption, might cut back the danger of coronary coronary heart illness. (FDA) One ounce of walnuts gives 18g of complete fats, 2.5g of monounsaturated fats, 13g of polyunsaturated fats together with 2.5g of alpha-linolenic acid – the plant-based omega-3.
Methods to make blueberry pie bars
- Pulse oats, flour, walnuts, sugar, baking powder and salt within the meals processor. Add butter and pulse till it is a crumbly dough.
- Press ⅔ of the dough into ready baking dish and bake for 10 minutes.
- Make filling by mixing the remaining components. Spoon in onto the pre-baked crust layer.
- Sprinkle the remainder of thw dough on high of the berries and bake till golden!
Are blueberry pie bars wholesome?
Sure! Blueberries are filled with fiber and are low in sugar. One cup gives a whopping 24% of the every day worth of immune boosting vitamin C. Hallelujah!
Consuming unsaturated fat like these present in walnuts, salmon, further virgin olive oil and avocados has been proven to supply a slew of well being advantages. Walnuts are made principally of polyunsaturated fatty acids(13g/oz) whereas most nuts include primarily monounsaturated fatty acids.
That’s why walnuts are the solely nut that has a major supply of plant-based omega-3’s (2.5 grams of ALA per 1 ounce serving!). Though extra analysis is required, omega-3 ALA has been related to benefits for inflammation and heart health. Woop woop!
Eating walnuts can also assist to considerably cut back complete and LDL ldl cholesterol and triglycerides.
Recipe modifications
You have acquired questions and I’ve acquired solutions!
- To make this recipe gluten free: Swap the wheat flour to your favourite all-purpose gluten free baking flour and ensure your oats are licensed gluten free.
- To make this recipe dairy-free: Use a non-dairy buttery stick versus actual butter.
- To make use of frozen blueberries: I’ve solely made these with contemporary, however I believe they’re going to work simply nice with frozen.
- To double the recipe. This may simply be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch baking pan. The bars can be a bit thicker.
Methods to retailer
Dare I say these blueberry crumble bars get even higher with age? I am keen on them straight out of the fridge. You possibly can retailer leftover bars in an air-tight container within the fridge for as much as six days.
Can these be frozen?
Sure! Merely freeze the bars in a good layer on a parchment lined baking sheet with house in between so they do not freeze collectively. As soon as frozen, put them in a freezer baggie and squeeze air out. Heat within the microwave earlier than serving simply till warmed by.
Extra fruity recipes to like
Wholesome Blueberry Pie Bars Recipe
Prep Time: quarter-hour
Cook dinner Time: 35 minutes
Complete Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12–16 bars 1x
Class: Dessert
Technique: Oven
Delicacies: American
Weight loss plan: Vegetarian
Description
Wholesome Blueberry Pie Bars with an irresistible shortbread crust! Made with walnuts, oats, and no refined sugar, everybody will love this deal with.
Elements
Items
Scale
For the crust:
- 1 cup old school oats
- ¾ cup entire wheat flour (or all goal or GF flour)
- ¾ cup walnuts
- ½ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp nice sea salt
- 6 tbsp salted butter, cubed
For the filling:
- 2 ½ cups contemporary blueberries (frozen works, too)
- 2 tbsp entire wheat flour
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- zest and juice of ½ lemon (1 tbsp juice)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 levels F. Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
- Within the bowl of a food processor, pulse collectively oats, flour, walnuts, sugar, baking powder and salt till walnuts and oats are damaged down. Add butter plus 1 tbsp of water and pulse till combination types a crumbly dough that sticks collectively once you press it together with your fingers.
- Press ⅔ of the dough into ready baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.
- Make filling by mixing blueberries, flour, sugar, lemon juice and zest, and vanilla in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon filling evenly onto the pre-baked crust layer and use the again of the spoon to softly press combination onto the crust (this helps them stick collectively).
- Sprinkle remaining dough on high of the berries and gently press down combination once more. Bake for 25 minutes, or till the bars are simply golden.
- Let bars cool utterly (and ideally refrigerate for a pair hours, till chilled) earlier than chopping into bars. I let mine refrigerate in a single day earlier than slicing. They may get extra stable as they chill and I choose them this manner, however if you wish to dive in immediately whereas heat, they’ll be extra crisp-like!
Notes
TO MAKE DAIRY FREE: Use a non-dairy butter stick substitute like Earth Stability.
TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE: Use 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten free flour and authorized gluten free oats.
TO STORE: Retailer cooled bars in an air-tight container within the fridge for as much as six days.
This publish is sponsored by California Walnuts, however all opinions are my very own. Thanks for supporting the manufacturers that make Hummusapien attainable!
