Bursting with sweet, juicy strawberries, these Fresh Strawberry Bars have a buttery oat biscuit base and are finished off with a crumbly topping. No mixer and quick to prepare, don’t limit yourself to just strawberries. This Strawberry Bars recipe will work with almost any fruit!
STRAWBERRY BARS
Is it just me who has a serious lack of fresh strawberry recipes in my arsenal?
I certainly have plenty of ways to use them fresh on and in desserts. Garnishing stacks of pancakes and french toast dripping with maple syrup. Or stuffed inside. Tried these Strawberry Nutella French Toast roll ups yet??
However, when it comes to using them in cooked form, I have a pretty limited selection. These Fresh Strawberry Bars are one of the few recipes I have.
I think the reason is that you actually need quite a lot of strawberries to get a proper strawberry flavour inside baked goods. So for example, I wouldn’t use strawberries in loaf cakes like my Blueberry Lemon Loaf. Well, I have, and it didn’t work that well. The strawberries go pale and drop water which leaves doughy pockets in the bread.
Or you need to cook it down with sugar to intensify the flavour before using it inside something, like mini pies. (Oooh YUM!).
This recipe doesn’t require the strawberries to be cooked separately before laying into the bars. All I do is spread a layer of jam over the base (to stop the juices seeping into the base) before topping with strawberries tossed with cornflour which thickens the juices while it’s baking so it comes out almost jammy.
And this is what comes out of the oven. See how the juices have bubbled through the crumbly topping and looks wet? It’s not watery, it’s jammy. And actually, it’s kind of candied on the edges of the bar. <– Quite possibly my favourite bits, except they get stuck in my teeth!
I know quite a few regular readers are big fans of the Easiest Ever Raspberry Jam Bars! This recipe is a variation of that recipe. The same mixture for the base and topping. I’ve just incorporated the fresh strawberries.
I’ve also included extra notes in the recipe for how to make this with all sorts of other fruits. You just need to adjust the amount of cornflour depending on the juiciness of the fruit. So for fruit that can be used whole like blueberries and raspberries, I would not use any cornstarch. For juicy fruit that needs to be chopped, like peaches and apricots, just add a bit more.
Oooh – and when this is made with apple, it becomes an apple crumble bar! Well, with the addition of some spices too.
Wait. I am feeling the urge to share Apple Crumble Bars. I’m saving that one for a separate post!
Happy weekend! If you got a (mere) spare 12 minutes, make these Fresh Strawberry Bars! – Nagi xx
More afternoon tea favourites
Cinnamon Swirl Bread – easy, no yeast!
Cheese, Herb and Garlic Loaf or Zucchini Cheese Loaf– quick bread, no yeast
Blueberry Lemon Loaf with Lemon Glaze or Blueberry Lemon Yoghurt Cake
Savoury Cheese Muffins or Cornbread Muffins (personal fave😇)
And more irresistible bars and slices
Brownies!! and Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies – ooh la la!!
Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!
Easiest Ever Raspberries Jam Bars
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Fresh Strawberry Bars
Ingredients
- 125 g / 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 1½ cups/ 225 g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1½ cups / 135 g rolled oats (traditional oats, not quick, instant or steel cut)
- ½ cup / 110 g brown sugar
- ½ tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 2/3 cup strawberry jam
Strawberries
- 2 cups chopped strawberries (about 375g)
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 2 tsp cornflour / cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350 (fan forced). (Note 1)
- Spray a 20cm/9″ square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
- Mix together flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add butter and egg then mix.
- Measure out 1 cup of the mixture (for topping) and set aside. Place remaining mixture in the tin and press into base.
- Mix together Strawberries, sugar and cornflour in a bowl (don’t do this in advance because sugar will make strawberries sweat = runny filling).
- Spread base with jam (Note 2), then scatter over strawberries. Use your hands to crumble the remaining mixture over the top (Note 3).
- Bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the top is deep golden. Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin before lifting out of the tin using the baking paper. It will sag – don’t worry, it will set.
- Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature. Store in airtight container (in fridge if it’s very hot where you are).
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Fresh Strawberry Bars recipe video!
LIFE OF DOZER
Hand on heart, I absolutely swear I do not crimp the hair on his ears. You wouldn’t BELIEVE how many people have asked me!!! #CrazyDogLady
PS Wanna know why the fur around his neck is wet? It’s not from the beach. It’s slobber from playing with another dog. 🤮 Bath time for Dozer!
Very good, oh so Fresh and colorful!, Thank YOU Nagi. PS Sydney weather has moves to Melb. Last 02 weeks hot , humid and now yet another week of the same. Its overcast late today change with rain but increase in humiditi. How ever change of Season is felt so next 03 days of 34 C wont have bite of scorching Heat. Doser looked so peaceful, GORGES. Have Magical w/ End!
We had ONE nice day on the weekend now we have scary storm warnings for this afternoon…I even heard the word TORNADO! Agggh!!
Nagi – Your timing could not be better. California strawberries, in my opinion, are what CA does best. And the season is starting here now with roadside stands every mile or so. Guess what I’m making today! Woo-hoo!
I have to say, Californian strawberries are better than Australian ones! I know, that’s very disloyal of me to say. But berries are NOT what we do best here in Australia. 🙂
Hi, I was wondering if it would be ok to use gram flour instead of plain flour in the strawberry bars, as I am gluten intolerant, or do you think it would make them too solid?
Hi Lynda! Unfortunately I have not tried these gluten free, I’m sorry Lynda! 🙂 N x
What an amazing and versatile bar recipe. I do like the strawberries, they are so pretty. Right now we’re getting into strawberry season — I foresee strawberry bars in my near future. But this is very cruel of you, I’m trying to stay away from sugary treats. I don’t think I could keep away from the bars if I made them. Have a wonderful weekend. xoxo
Hi Marisa, hope you had a fabulous weekend! Full of fun and loads of delish food I trust! Thank you for your lovely message, I’m glad you like the look of these! N x
Hi Nagi:
Looks absolutely scrumptious. I want to bake some for a family get together. Can I just double the recipe and bake in a 9×13 pan or would it be better to bake 2 9×9 pans? If 2 9×9 pans are better can I bake them both at the same time or is it better to bake them one at a time? I am never sure if items cooks properly if there is twice the amount of bakeware in the oven at the same time.
Hi Maureen! Doing 2 x 9″ pans is definitely better because otherwise the base of the centre is still too soft by the time the top is golden brown 🙂 If you have an ordinary oven (Mine is a standard size home oven) then doing 2 at the same time is fine, just pop them on the same shelf and rotate them halfway to help them brown evenly (I find when you do 2 pans, the side of the pans that are next to each other don’t brown as well, I guess because the pans aren’t in the centre of the shelf) 🙂
Hi Nagi:
Thanks for the info. I have a couple of more questions. Hate to be a pest but I appreciate your learned input so much. Don’t want to ruin a bunch of good ingredients due to my poor baking skills ! haha
I only have 8″ inch square pans.
Will this make the squares too mushy?
Should I just bake them a bit longer?
To be sure they are done in the middle should the tester come out clean?
Best regards,
Maureen Wadsworth, Toronto, ON, Canada
Hi Maureen! No problems at all, happy to help! 8″ pans will be fine 🙂 No need to bake longer, go by the colour of the top – you want a nice deep golden brown, see the photos in the recipe. No need to use the skewer test, when the top is golden, the base is cooked! 🙂 N xx
Thanks so much for replying Nagi. You are a sweetheart!
I am now going to bake your wonderful recipe for Fresh Strawberry Bars.
All the best to you and keep those yummy recipes coming.
Tell Dozer that my two cats, Blanche and Maverick, send their regards!
Hi Nagi. I made the raspberry bars not long ago, they are one of my favorites. I’ll be on the look out for some nice strawberries to make these as soon as we eat the big ole chocolate cake I made the other day.
Quite a compliment from the Baking Queen!! Your Apple Cake continues to be a firm favourite among readers! 🙂 N xx
Nagi these look incredible! I love the colour on them and all that strawberry jammy goodness?! I just want to lick my ipad screen. Pinning for later x
Aren’t strawberries just the prettiest ever?? Fresh and in jam form!