Easy and delicious gluten-free blueberry oatmeal crumble bars. Yum!
Blueberries pack a lot of health benefits in a teeny tiny package. From antioxidants that help prevent cancer to improving the health of the heart, brain, bladder and eyes, these little guys are truly a super food. They may even help reduce belly fat. Now if you’re a mom of any age mourning the shape of your middle, I probably got your attention with that one.
I love blueberries and I love breakfast, so when a friend of mine recently brought delicious blueberry oat crumble bars to a morning ladies’ bible study meeting, I knew I had to try the recipe. As if I needed another reason, it’s now blueberry season here in Texas and I can find them at my local farmer’s market.
Since my youngest daughter can’t have gluten (learn more about our journey here), I subbed out the regular wheat flour for oat flour, one of my favorite GF baking tricks. Note: if you are making these for someone who can’t have any gluten, look for oats that are specifically gluten free. Regular oats are typically cross-contaminated with wheat. My go-to brand for GF products is Bob’s Red Mill because they’re great quality but not as expensive as some brands. Here’s an *affiliate link for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats, if you want to order them from Amazon.
I thought the bars with the fruity filling and hearty oats were scrumptious. They do have a lot of butter and a fair amount of sugar, so they are probably not something to eat for breakfast all the time, but they make a great treat. On the plus side, they’re chock full of those beneficial berries.
After a morning run, I’ll have one with a boiled egg and a small glass of milk or calcium-fortified orange juice. What a way to start the day!
As with a lot of GF baking, I found the baking time went a good 10 to 15 minutes beyond the 55 minutes in the original recipe.
The original recipe came from averiecooks.com. Thanks, Averie!
You will thank yourself later if you line the pan with foil and spray with non-stick cooking oil. Trust me on this one.
INGREDIENTS
Crust and Crumble Topping
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup oat flour
3/4 cup old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (don’t use quick cook or instant, they’re finer and behave like flour and will make mixture too dry)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
pinch salt, optional and to taste
Blueberry Layer
12 ounces (2 cups) blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray; set aside. Lining the pan helps with cleanup and is recommended.
- Crust and Crumble Topping – In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
- Add the oat flour, oats, sugars, optional salt, and stir to combine. Mixture will be dry and sandy with some larger, well-formed crumble pieces.
- Set 1 heaping cup mixture aside to be sprinkled on later as crumble topping.
- Transfer remaining mixture to prepared pan, and using a spatula or your fingers, hard-pack the mixture to create an even, smooth, flat crust; set aside.
- Blueberry Layer – In a large mixing bowl (same one used for crust and crumble is okay), add all ingredients and toss to combine.
- Evenly distribute blueberry mixture over the crust.
- Evenly sprinkle with the reserved heaping 1 cup crumble topping mixture.
- Bake for about 55 minutes, or until edges are set and center has just set. Crumble topping should appear set and very pale golden. Bars may take longer than 55 minutes if blueberries are very juicy. Watch your bars, not the clock, when evaluating doneness. Place pan on a wire rack and allow bars to cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 10 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Great for breakfast or a snack and even better paired with a cold glass of milk!
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