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Buttery Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars Easy Homemade Recipe with Shortbread Crust

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These buttery strawberry rhubarb crumble bars combine a rich shortbread crust with a vibrant, tangy fruit filling and a crunchy crumble topping, perfect for spring and summer gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312.5 g)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (227 g)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and halved (about 300 g)
  • 2 cups rhubarb stalks, chopped (about 240 g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g), adjust to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add the cold cubed butter and vanilla extract. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits remaining (about 5 minutes).
  3. Press two-thirds of the crumble mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form the shortbread base. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges start to turn golden. Remove from oven and set aside.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine the chopped strawberries and rhubarb with ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. Stir gently until the fruit is evenly coated.
  5. Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the warm shortbread crust. Some juice seeping out is normal.
  6. Crumble the remaining third of the shortbread mixture evenly over the fruit layer.
  7. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. Check after 30 minutes to avoid burning.
  8. Cool the bars completely on a wire rack for 1-2 hours to allow the filling to set.
  9. Cut into bars and serve at room temperature or chilled. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes

Use cold butter to achieve a tender, crumbly texture. Avoid over-stirring the fruit filling to keep some texture. If crumble topping browns too quickly, loosely cover with foil halfway through baking. Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean cuts. For gluten-free, substitute flour with a gluten-free blend and adjust butter as needed. Vegan options include using coconut oil or vegan butter and plant-based sugar.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry rhubarb bars, crumble bars, shortbread crust, summer dessert, easy dessert, homemade bars, fruit crumble, spring dessert

Find it online: https://novanosh.com/buttery-strawberry-rhubarb-crumble-bars-easy-homemade-recipe-with-shortbread-crust/