Today I’m here to celebrating Women’s History Month with Empower Through Flour Girl Up Campaign & female chefs across the country by rocking the color purple with these incredible blueberry pie bars.
I’m so freakin’ excited to be part of this campaign that’s empowering girls across the globe. Girl Up Campaign was founded by the United Nations in 2010 and creates leadership development programs for the next generation of girls to be a voice for gender equality and social change.
So how can you help? Join the movement and donate to Girl Up here or by texting ‘Girl’ to 707070, and of course make these delicious bars! Head to the blog to get the recipe + learn more on how to donate to a great cause!
Blueberry season
A few weeks ago I went to the grocery store and found organic blueberries for $3/pint. I piled those cute little pint into my cart and jetted off, eager to make a batch of these greek yogurt blueberry scones, my blueberry power smoothie and latest and greatest pancake recipe (seriously a must try!).
Of course, my brain was still buzzing on what I could make next with blueberries. Blueberry pie? Too complicated. Blueberry salad? Sound delicious. Blueberry crumble? Maybeeee.
Finally, the winning idea hit: healthier blueberry bars with an oatmeal crumble! Sounds dreamy, right?
Ingredients in these easy blueberry pie bars
These blueberry bars uses super simple ingredients and comes together in just 15 minutes or so and only take about 30 minutes to bake. To make this recipe, you’ll need:
- gluten free oat flour: or you can sub regular flour!
- gluten free rolled oats: do not use steel cut oats in this recipe
- brown sugar (or coconut sugar): I prefer brown sugar to help these bars stay true to flavor and texture.
- cinnamon: for that pie flavor
- baking soda & salt
- butter or vegan butter: this helps the crumble clump together and turn a delicious golden color
- vanilla & almond extract: for delicious flavor
- blueberries: feel free to use fresh or frozen in this recipe!
- pure maple syrup: for a little extra natural sweetness
- cornstarch or arrowroot starch: to perfectly thicken the blueberry filling
How to make blueberry pie bars
- Step 1: First, you’ll mix the oats, oat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda & salt in a bowl. Then stir in melted vegan butter or regular butter, vanilla extract and almond extract. Press a little more than half of the mixture into an 8×8 inch pan lined with parchment paper, then set the rest of the crumble in the fridge for later.
- Step 2: make your blueberry pie filling, which is naturally sweetened with pure maple syrup and blueberries. Place a medium pot over medium heat. Add in blueberries, maple syrup, almond extract, cornstarch (or arrowroot) and salt. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break down the blueberries just a bit. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the filling thickens. Pour over the crust.
- Step 3: Sprinkle the remaining crumble all over the top of the blueberries and then bake for 30-40 minutes until filling is bubbly and the oatmeal crumble is slightly golden brown. YUM. Cool completely and then cut into bars.
How to make your own oat flour
You can easily make your own gluten free oat flour by simply placing gluten free oats into a blender and blending/pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble a fine flour. This is probably the cheapest option. Always measure the oat flour after you blend to ensure the proper amount called for in the recipe.
How to store blueberry bars
- In the fridge: I recommend storing these bars covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer: yes, these blueberry pie bars are freezer-friendly! Once they’re complete cooled, simply place them in an airtight container and pop them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy one, just let it thaw a bit in the fridge before eating.
These blueberry bars aren’t overly sweet or filling, which makes them perfect for a quick grab and go add on to breakfast or even a snack. The oatmeal crumble is crunchy and full of delicious toasted oatmeal flavor.
Personally I think they taste like a Nutri-grain bar, which I loved to eat for breakfast growing up.
If you want to make these blueberry pie bars more decadent, I suggest drizzling a little melted white chocolate over the top or perhaps a nice lemon glaze (from this lemon cookie recipe). Either way, I know you’re going to LOVE them!
Other blueberry recipes you might like:
Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free & dairy free)
Maple Blueberry Turkey Sausage Breakfast Patties
Good Morning Healthy Blueberry Zucchini Muffins
Peanut Butter Blueberry Overnight Oats
See how to make the blueberry bars:
If you make these blueberry bars, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating the recipe below. I’d love to hear from you and it helps encourage others to make the recipe too! xo.
Blueberry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan and gluten free!)
Perfectly sweet healthy blueberry pie bars topped with a delicious oat crumble. These easy vegan and gluten free blueberry bars taste just like blueberry pie and will be your new favorite treat for spring and summer!
Ingredients
- For the crust and crumble:
- 1 ½ cups gluten free oat flour (or sub all purpose flour)
- 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired
- ½ cup packed brown sugar (or sub coconut sugar but you may not get the best 'crumble')
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter or vegan buttery stick, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- For the filling:
- 2 1/2 heaping cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot starch
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
- Optional to make the with a hint of lemon flavor: zest from 1 lemon
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8 inch pan with parchment paper and generously spray with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
-
Make the base + topping: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the oat flour, oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in melted butter, vanilla extract and almond extract and stir until a nice crumble forms and dough begins to clump together.
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Place 1 3/4 cups of the mixture into the prepared pan and place the remaining mixture into the fridge (the remaining mixture will be used for the topping). Use your hands to evenly press the dough to the bottom of the pan.
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Next make your blueberry pie filling: place a medium pot over medium heat. Add in blueberries, maple syrup, almond extract, cornstarch (or arrowroot) and salt. Use a wooden spoon to press down and break down the blueberries just a bit.
-
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes until mixture is thickened up and nicely coats the back of a spoon.
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Pour mixture over the crust and use a spoon to evenly spread.
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Take the remaining topping out of the fridge. By now there should be some nice crumbles that have clumped together. Sprinkle the topping over the blueberry filling.
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Bake for 30 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is golden.
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Allow bars to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to the fridge to chill. Bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. Use a sharp knife to cut into 16 bars before serving.
Recipe Notes
To store these blueberry pie bars: the bars are delicious served at room temperature or straight out of the fridge. I recommend storing in the fridge for optimal freshness.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by Eat Love Eats
112 comments
I’m excited to try these! And the girl you mean is Violet Beauregard 🙂
Oh shoot, you are totally right! haha!
I made this literally right after you posted and they are AMAZING! Already planning another batch for the holiday weekend. I get what you mean they remind you of a Nutrigrain bar but these taste 9000 times better!! Great recipe.
Hi Kristen! Thanks so much for leaving a comment and for letting me know how much you like these bars. I absolutely love them!
This looks delicious! I will definately make it for my toddler. She loves wild blueberries. Can we sub the oats flour with almond flour?
I haven’t tried it with almond flour, so I’m not certain it will work, but please let me know if you give it a try.
I made this with almond flour and truvia brown sugar blend and they came out beautifully.
Perfect!
Seems yumm!! Can I sub the butter with coconut oil ?
I have used coconut oil instead of butter to make a Graham cracker crust and it turned out perfect. Couldn’t tell the difference. I am going to try doing the same for this. I think it will be hard to tell the difference
Awesome, let me know how it turns out!
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work well!
Have you tried making these with applesauce instead of maple syrup?
I haven’t, and I don’t think it would work the same, sorry!
Yummy, blueberry pie is freaking amazing, but it can be a bit time consuming to make. Bars tend to be easier since you don’t have to worry about making your own crust–because face it, homemade pie crust is far more superior than anything pre-made. These bars look much more delicious than any store-bought blueberry crumble or pie I’ve ever seen–thank you for making a vegan-friendly version!
Absolutely agree on the effort of blueberry pie. 🙂
I made these and subbed cherries for the blueberries and they turned out incredible! thank you for such a great summer recipe!
Delicious! Perfect for summer 🙂
Unfortunately mine didn’t turn out – not enough of a binding agent in the crust/topping so it just turned into powder 🙁
Kristie! I’m so sorry to hear this. I would recommend adding more butter. Can I also ask — did you use oat flour or regular flour? And did you pack your flour in? If you packed it, this is often where the issue comes in because there will be more flour and not enough liquid.
Can I use fresh, not frozen blueberries?
Yes, absolutely! I actually used fresh when I tested once. I’ve updated the recipe to include fresh blueberries!
Oh no, I’m so sorry to hear that. It could have been the way the oat flour was measured. Next time try adding a tablespoon more butter if you have an issue.
Made these this weekend. My crumble was not very crumbly. Slightly more powdery. But still tasted good! I did use all purpose flour, so thinking maybe next time I should use slightly less flour and add some more cold butter when I add the topping on. Just heated a piece up and added some vanilla ice cream on top – SO delicious even with my so-so crumble on top.
Hi Carrie! Sorry to hear that it wasn’t crumbly. I think it’s because you used regular flour. That being said, I’m upping the butter by just a bit to create more of a crumble topping 🙂 That should solve it!
Made these tonight, and WOW they are incredible. Your recipes never fail me!!
So happy to hear that, Brittany! 🙂
Delicious! These were super easy and turned out perfect. I used frozen berries, but added the lemon and it tasted super fresh. I love how you always give suggestions and substitutions. I made these bars, and several other food items for a meal train. These were the absolute favorite. The pieces I kept for us didn’t last long. Can’t wait to make again. Thanks!
Perfect! Happy to hear that, Kristine. Hopefully you’ll have some more leftover to keep next time 🙂
OMG.OMG.OMG. These are literally life!!! I honestly didn’t think I would like it because I don’t like things with whole fruit in them normally but dangggg these are fire!!
Def. husband approve because I only got one, he at the rest hahaha.
Haha I’m so happy you found these, Nicole! The blueberry part is mostly a complement to the delicious crumble 😉 glad they’re husband-approved, too!
Made these using almond flour and truvia brown sugar blend and they were delicious. Great recipe!
Glad those worked out! Perfect for summer 🙂
These were a dream to make and devour! I decided made a little extra crumble topping than the recipe called for so I could completely cover the blueberry filling. I will definitely be making this again and passing the recipe along to friends and family! Delish 🙂
So happy to hear that, Meaghan! All about a little extra crumble 🙂 Hope everyone loved them!
can these be frozen and reheated
I haven’t tried it, but I think it would work fine! Just freeze, then thaw in the fridge!
These were perfect! Can I substitute coconut oil for the butter?
Glad you loved them! I haven’t tried it but I’m guessing it would work. I would probably reduce the coconut oil by 1 tablespoon total.
So good! Just made these and they’re delicious (and not overly sweet). I didn’t have almond extract or corn starch, and they’re fine. Awesome breakfast treat / dessert.
Perfect! Such a great treat 🙂 glad you liked them!
Wow! I didn’t expect these to turn out THIS GOOD! Absolutely delicious. Followed recipe as is. Coconut sugar worked great.
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
I made a double batch of these with lemon zest in the filling and a white chocolate drizzle on top. SO good. And I don’t even usually like fruit pie type desserts. Can’t wait to share at our family get together tomorrow.
Delicious! I hope everyone loved these!
My husband loves blueberries. An 8×8 pan would last less than a day in our house. I would like to double the recipe and bake in a 13×9 pan. Have you tried this? How long do you think I should bake it for?
Yes, I think you can easily double the recipe. I would bake for the same amount of time or until filling is slightly bubbling and topping is golden.
As soon as I saw these posted on Instagram I knew I had to make them! Luckily I had all of the ingredients on hand and I made them exactly as the recipe calls for. They are delicious! I plan on using them for a healthier dessert option with a dollop of whipped cream!
Amazing! So glad you loved them!
Can I use strawberries since that’s what I have right now and I NEED to make this now!
I’ve tried strawberries and they weren’t my favorite because they’re more watery. Perhaps just cook the filling a bit more until it’s nice and thick!
These blueberry pie bars are AMAZING!! So good served chilled! I used ghee instead of butter, and it worked just fine!
Perfect! So happy you loved them!
Hello I came across this recipes googling pineapple and blueberry and it looked quite delish I had to try I basically had the ingredients except maple syrup so i used dark brown sugar all the not enough blueberries so I used 1 cup of pineapple and the butter so I used coconut oil made the oat flour and I added the lemon zest. My 22 year old son and I can’t stop eating them they’re absolutely delish thank you for the recipe 🙋♀️
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Such a great treat 🙂
Fabulous! Even my spouse loves them and he doesn’t even like blueberries! Only change I made was to sub coconut oil for the butter. Easy recipe, delicious. We are keeping the pan in the fridge and yum, yum, yum!
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
Absolutely loved these! I used a combo of regular flour, coconut flour, and almond flour. So thankful I found this website because I love Monique’s vibe and all her recipes! Haven’t tried a bad one yet.
I’m glad those swaps worked out well! Hope you keep finding recipes here that you love 🙂
What do you do when your sheltering? Bake. Easy to make and super yummy! Thank you Monique for continuing to be here for us 😘
Keep safe.
Absolutely! Glad you loved these and be well!
Just made these today and OMG they are DELICIOUS! I love the hint of almond flavor from the extra. Will definitely make these again.
10/10 would recommend!
So glad you loved these!
I only had 1 cup of blueberries on hand so I used that and 1.5 cups strawberries and made kind of a mixed berry version and it was so delicious. Thank you!
Yum I love that idea! Glad you enjoyed!
This is the BEST recipe. I have made them a few times already using frozen blueberries (not out and about right now). They are so good. I added a little lemon zest to the blueberry layer Because I had it. It is amazing how sweet the berry layer is with just that little maple syrup as sweetener. Lots of Gold Stars !!!
Amazing! Love the idea of adding lemon zest. Glad you enjoyed!
I was in love as I taste tested this before baking (gotta drizzle that blueberry filling on some pancakes), stole some hot right out of oven, and was definitely addicted by my third try after cooling! Can’t wait for my kids to try in the morning for breakfast! Very grateful we have blueberry bushes in our yard and have another tasty way to enjoy them! Thanks, I can always count on your recipes being tasty and healthy!
Delicious! So glad you loved these!
Can’t wait to try this! Just wondering- would it work with other ripe fruit? eg plums or even peaches?
Probably very well! 🙂 the bar base is very flexible. A jam in the middle would also be super yummy.
Oh my word SO GOOD! I wouldn’t say that they’re anything like a nutrigrain bar! 😂
My son helped me make them and we devoured the pan in 2 days. #ronaproblems #bakeeatrepeat
The best!! Glad you both loved them 🙂
Hi I will definitely make this come blue berries season. Would u have a recipe like this but Rhubarb?
Perfect! I don’t have a rhubarb recipe on my site yet, but that’s a great idea 🙂
Ohhh these are my new favorite. They are perfect!!!!!
I’m so glad you love them!
I want to make these but only have a 9×9 pan, 11×7 and a 9 inch round cake pan:(, any suggestions or alterations I should make?
9×9 inch should be ok, but the bars maybe a little thin.
My husband and I both loved these. I love to bake but have never been very adventurous and these took me just far enough out of my comfort zone! I used fresh blueberries to make the filling which was so fun and so delicious. These make a perfect breakfast bar and a perfect snack during my long 12 hour ER shifts. I did end up having to add more melted butter for the oat crust but I’m always okay with more butter!
So happy you tried these ones! A great treat or snack for long shifts. Thank you for everything you do!
Loved this recipe. Precooked the crust about 10 min and cooked it about 10 min longer as well. Definitely worth making again.
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great treat 🙂
I made these last night and they were incredible! I adapted the recipe slightly to what I had on hand – I used frozen mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries) instead of blueberries, and cassava flour instead of cornstarch / arrowroot and they were absolutely perfect. Can’t wait to make them all summer and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream!
Perfect! I’m glad those worked out well 🙂 perfect for summer!
Delicious. I just made them today. It’s difficult waiting for them to cool since they smell so good. Thanks for a great recipe.
The best! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
Holy moly! These are so delicious! And super easy to make. The crumble is so tasty… do you think it would work as an oatmeal cookie?
I didn’t have almond extract so I just omitted and it’s perfectly fine. I also used tiny frozen wild blueberries which worked great. The filling is not too sweet, too gooey, and there’s the perfect amount of it. I’m not a fruit pie person, so this is saying something.
One tiny note-Recipe calls for 1 3/4 cups of the crumble for the crust. I would probably use a little less – maybe 1 1/2 – just because I like the top crumble so much. Or maybe I would make more of it! But that’s personal preference.
SOOOO GOOD. I made these last week and they were perfect. I hadn’t used almond extract in a blueberry crumble recipe before but I’m a fan! Will definitely make again.
The almond extract makes them extra delicious! Glad you loved them 🙂
I made these over the weekend and they are amazing! My family loves them and they were so easy to make. I followed the recipe as instructed except I didn’t have almond extract so just used the vanilla. Will definitely be making these again.
I recommend my healthy oatmeal cookies: https://bit.ly/2Zj96Ox
Perfect! So happy to hear that!
Amazing! Storing in the fridge, I also added some lemon juice to the recipe for even more lemon flavor!
Perfect! Great idea 🙂
I made this recipe today and it is delicious. I had a piece at room temp and then just ate one after it had been in the refrigerator. I liked the refrigerated piece better, but both ways are good! Thanks for always providing great recipes.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed 🙂
These were so good! If anyone wants to sub the butter, i used half olive oil and half yogurt as the replacement and they came out delicious! They might not hold together as well with this sub, but still tastes amazing! Thank you for this recipe!
I’m glad that worked out well! 🙂
I made these for a backyard party yesterday and everyone thought I had bought them at a bakery! They tasted like a professional baker had made them… so they were incredible, in other words. The recipe is easy and after letting them cool completely, they were really easy to cut into bars. I can’t wait to make these again and experiment with other kinds of fruit. Thank you for an excellent recipe!!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
I’m making these for the third (maybe fourth?) time. They always turn out perfectly. I make the oat flour in my food processor.
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
This was delicious. Happy to find a bar (compote) recipe that I could cut and bring to a party. I modified it by adding strawberries to the filling.
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
These were incredible and loved by the whole family after dinner! My husband loves everything extra sweet and I prefer less sweet treats and yet somehow we both LOVED these. I would say they are on the lighter side of sweet dessert but the blueberries and crumble make it feel like you aren’t missing out on any flavor! Highly recommend!
* I used all purpose flour and brown sugar for reference
* I used 1 tbsp of flour bc I didn’t have another thickener for the filling and it worked fine
Amazing! I’m glad that worked out well 🙂 perfect treat!
SCRUMPTIOUS. I made for a party with vegan butter, and they were gone in a flash! Do you think I could pre-make the fruit part and freeze, then thaw to bake?
So happy to hear that! And sure! You may just need to drain a little excess water off the blueberries after they are frozen, but it should be fine.
This came out delicious. Not sweet but satisfying. I didn’t have cornstarch so I used xanthan gum instead, worked perfect. Thanks!
These were delicious – not too sweet, like you said, which is one of my pet peeves with fruit pies. However, even after refrigerating overnight, they didn’t hold together terribly well. The light texture is lovely, but you have to be careful handling them. Would cooking down the mixture more to make it almost jammy help with holding them together?
Also, my cornstarch clumped a little when I added it in, so I had to chase down the lumps and smooth them with the back of my spoon. The blueberry filling also has a very slight bitter tang so I’m wondering if I didn’t get all of them. I was actually surprised the recipe instructs you to just add the cornstarch in with the blueberries, because I’ve always been told to make a slurry with a bit of cold water before adding it to the main part of the recipe. Wondering if that would help.
Finally, I skipped the lemon because that sometimes overwhelms the flavor of the lovely fresh picked blueberries I used, but would include it next time — brightens to flavor (and would hide that bitter edge).
The cornstarch should easily dissolve with the juice of the blueberries. I’ve never had an issue. Perhaps they needed to bake a bit longer to firm up? You can also sift in the cornstarch!