Hello, strawberry season! If you’re like me and you run around grabbing alllll of the fresh cartons of strawberries this time of year, today’s recipe has your name on it.
One of my fav desserts to make with spring and summer fruit is crumble bars or pie bars (like my famous blueberry pie bars!) because they’re super low maintenance and you can truly use any fruit you like. Not to mention, they’re absolutely delicious and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. These strawberry crumble bars have the perfect amount of sweetness in the fresh strawberry filling and the crust, plus a wonderful crumble topping that is melt-in-your-mouth good.
Bake them up, share them with your neighbor, or bring them to your next BBQ and enjoy!

Everything you’ll need to make the best strawberry crumble bars
These healthier strawberry oatmeal bars are made with simple ingredients that keep them gluten-free and easily vegan (no egg necessary!). Plus, they pack whole grains and fresh fruit, AKA nourishing enough for breakfast! Here’s what you’ll need to make them:
- Flour: you’ll use a mix of almond flour and oat flour to make these strawberry crumble bars.
- Oats: the delicious base and crumble topping also uses rolled oats.
- Butter: keep the bars perfectly moist with some melted butter.
- Strawberries: the star of these gorgeous strawberry pie bars!
- Sweetener: you’ll also need some pure maple syrup to sweeten the crust, filling, and crumble topping.
- Cornstarch: a little cornstarch helps to thicken the strawberry filling and hold it together.
- Lemon juice: a tiny squeeze of lemon juice to the filling for a fresh, bright flavor.
- Baking staples: you’ll also need some salt, vanilla, and almond extract to pull the flavors together. These bars don’t require any baking soda or baking powder!

Simple ingredient swaps
Out of a few ingredients? Here’s what I can suggest for substitutions for these healthy strawberry crumble bars:
- Go nut-free. Out of almond flour or allergic to nuts? Use the base & topping in these blueberry pie bars.
- Keep them vegan. Feel free to use vegan butter or coconut oil instead of regular butter. This will make the bars dairy-free as well.
- Swap the cornstarch. Instead of cornstarch, you can also use arrowroot starch.
- Choose your sweetener. If you don’t have any maple syrup, you can also use 1/2 cup brown sugar or coconut sugar.
Mix it up with new fruits
Feel free to use your favorite berries in these bars (like blackberries), or try one of my other incredible fruit bar recipes below!
- Raspberry Bars
- Tart Cherry Pie Bars
- Cherry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan + gluten-free)
- Blueberry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan & gluten free)

Can I use frozen strawberries?
Yes, frozen strawberries will also work well in this recipe! Feel free to add them directly to your pot when you make the filling.
Add a little indulgence
Looking for more of an indulgent treat? These strawberry bars would also be delicious with a dark chocolate or white chocolate drizzle, or even this yummy lemon glaze on top after baking! Get extra fancy by serving them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. SO GOOD.

Make your own oat flour
Easily make your own gluten-free oat flour by simply placing rolled oats into a blender and blending/pulsing until they’re smooth and resemble flour. This is probably the cheapest option. Get all of our tips & tricks for making your own oat flour here (plus recipes!)

Wonderful strawberry crumble bars in 5 easy steps
- Prep your pan. Line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray it with nonstick cooking spray to ensure that the bars don’t stick.
- Make the crumble. The crust and crumble come from the same “dough.” Mix together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then stir in the wet ingredients until a dough starts to clump together. Reserve 1 cup for the crumble topping.
- Bake the crust. Press the rest of the dough into your baking dish and bake it up.
- Make the filling. Next, you’ll simmer the fresh strawberries, maple syrup, cornstarch, lemon juice & almond extract in a medium pot. Stir frequently until the filling thickens and the strawberries start to release their juices.
- Top & bake again. Pour the strawberry mixture over the baked crust, top with the rest of the crumble, and bake it again. Let them cool completely at room temp or in the fridge and serve!

Storing & freezing tips
- In the fridge: I recommend storing these strawberry oatmeal bars in an airtight container or bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- In the freezer: these strawberry crumble bars are freezer-friendly! Once they’re completely cooled, 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.

Tools you’ll need
Get all of our fav kitchen essentials here.
More bars you’ll love
- Ooey-Gooey Tahini S’mores Bars
- Blueberry Pie Bars with Oatmeal Crumble (vegan & gluten free)
- The Best Zucchini Brownies You’ll Ever Eat
- Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats
- Healthy Peanut Butter Twix Bars (vegan & gluten free)
Check out all of our delicious bars & brownies!
I hope you love these delicious strawberry crumble bars! If you make them, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked them. Enjoy, xo!
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Strawberry Crumble Bars

Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 ½ cups (168g) packed fine almond flour (do not use almond meal)
- 1 ½ cups (138g) oat flour
- ¾ cup (71g) oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) melted and cooled salted butter (or sub vegan butter or melted coconut oil)
- ⅓ cup (104g) pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the filling:
- 1 pound (454g) fresh strawberries, diced
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (or sub vanilla)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9x9 inch pan with parchment paper and spray the pan with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- To make the base + topping: In a large bowl, use a fork to mix together the almond flour, oat flour, oats and salt. Add in melted butter, pure maple syrup and vanilla extract and stir until a nice crumble forms and dough begins to clump together. Reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the topping and set aside. Use your hands to evenly press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan.
- Bake the crust for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.
- While your crust is baking, make your strawberry filling: place a medium pot over medium heat. Add in strawberries, maple syrup, cornstarch (or arrowroot), lemon juice and almond extract. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low and cook for 3-5 more minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture is slightly thickened and strawberries release some of their juices.
- Pour strawberry filling over the crust and use a spoon to spread over the top. Top with the reserved topping. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until filling bubbles along the edges and top is golden brown. Allow bars to cool completely before cutting into, otherwise they will fall apart. To speed up this process you can transfer to the fridge. Serve with vanilla ice cream for dessert, or enjoy a slice as a snack!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on June 2nd, 2021, and republished on April 28th, 2026.

These were unreal! Made exactly how the recipe was written and my whole family gobbled them up at a family picnic. Only problem, I should have made 2 pans! Thank you again for another killer recipe!
So happy to hear that! Such a great summer dessert 🙂
Thx! i haven’t tried it yet…but it looks delicious!😋 Oh…and can i substitute the almond flour and oat flour with regular, glutenous, all-purpous flour? If so, how much should i add..?
I can’t recommend a flour swap in here as the texture and flavor will change – sorry!
Oh my goodness! Thx! i haven’t tried it yet…but it looks delicious!😋 Oh…and can i substitute the almond flour and oat flour with regular, glutenous, all-purpous flour? If so, how much should i add..?
EXCELLENT! The crust, the filling, everything turned out just right. Thanks!
YAY!
Just made these! I used Bob’s Red Mill Natural Almond Flour (has skins on) and rolled oats. Made my own oat flour with the rolled oats. The bars turned out really well! I agree with other commenters that they are not overly sweet; however, with some ice cream on the side they are perfectly balanced. Will definitely be making again next strawberry season!
Perfect! Glad you enjoyed!
Delicious! Made this for a family dinner with some guests that were gluten-free and another that was vegan. I was so happy to find a simple, easy recipe that worked for everyone’s diets and was delicious without lots of fancy ingredients.
So happy to hear that!
Made these with a giant box of farmers market berries that started to show signs of going bad soon after purchase. Used AP flour instead of oat flour (too lazy to make the latter) and it was perfection:
Amazing! Glad you enjoyed!
I didn’t have any almonds, so I swapped them for ground walnuts I had on hand (toasted walnuts that were ground in a blender). More specifically, I used 100 grams of ground walnuts and 50-55 grams of white flour to substitute for the almond flour. Plus, I think I might’ve used like half or one more tablespoon of coconut oil to account for using fewer nuts. And it worked great, the walnuts weren’t overpowering in taste and just overall delicious. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m glad that worked out well! Such a great dessert!
These are amazing! I really appreciate your gluten-free recipes. I feel like I can enjoy all the normal things I did before! Again I love all your recipes I’ve used, which is a lot. Can’t wait for cookbook!
I’m so glad! Can’t wait for you to have the cookbook (so soon!)
This is one of my family’s favorite recipes! I have probably made this at least 6 times and it never fails to please! It’s lovely with homemade whipped cream on top! Thanks Monique!
So happy to hear that! Perfect for summer 🙂
I absolutely love it! Delicious! ♥️♥️♥️
These bars were so delicious and a wonderful way to use those beautiful fresh strawberries that I picked yesterday. LOVE even more that they were gluten free and made with maple syrup instead of sugar. And I served mine with Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream, and it was amazing!!! Thank you for yet another yummy recipe!!! 😋
Got these in just in the nick of time for #AKRECIPEOFTHEMONTH and YUM! I did use the almond-free crust and it was wonderful. I love a fruit dessert that is not too sweet! Makes me feel ready for summer!
Amazing! So glad you loved them!
I felt these were good but not great. They needed some sweetness. The strawberry layer was perfect, but the crust was too thick for the strawberry layer and needed more flavor. I served mine with whipped cream, which definitely made a difference.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t love these! They aren’t meant to be overly sweet, but ensuring that your strawberries are nice and ripe will also help. Did you use a 9×9 inch pan? That should create the perfect thickness for the crust.
Strawberries are in abundance right now and such an easy recipe even I could follow it! Look and smell delicious and tastes like a decadent treat but with less guilt thanks to great ingredients!
Amazing! Glad you loved these!
Delicious. Not overly sweet. Prefect for strawberry season.
Absolutely!
I love these bars. I made them for Teacher Appreciation Week as a vegan option (with coconut oil) and again today as kid snacks. I love that they are not overly sweet.
#AKrecipeofthemonth
So happy to hear that! Perfect treat 🙂
Made these with my 2 and 3 year old daughters and we all loved it! Even my husband had them and he is not usually a sweets person. It was so nice to make these with little hands and not worry about raw eggs or anything being licked off fingers! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! So happy to hear they were a hit!
These were fantastic! However, I did modify a bit to suit my tastes. I felt that the crust looked a bit thick, so I made the same amount form the recipe, but spread it into a 9×13 pan, and then also added ~1/2 pound of cut, frozen rhubarb. I also added some additional brown sugar along with the maple syrup, as I felt it was a little light on sweetness. I will definitely be making these same bars again and again.
Perfect! I’m glad those swaps and additions worked out well 🙂
This recipe really showed out—might be my new breakfast favorite! I thought the almond extract would alter the flavor in a not-so-positive way. But I was so wrong! The almond extract is subtle and delightful. Will be making again and again! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
Amazing! So glad you loved them!
These crumble bars are a real treat to celebrate strawberry season. The almond flour makes the dessert very light and when paired with vanilla ice cream brings it to a whole new level. I am still shocked there’s no added sugar or eggs in this recipe. Perfect summer treat. #AKRecipeOfTheMonth
Love these paired with ice cream – so glad you enjoyed!
These are a delicious treat! Love the mix of textures and they are fruity without being too sweet. A hit with everyone! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
So glad you loved them!
These came together so quickly and easily! They are so good! I love that they are gf but do not taste it. I also love that there is no refined sugar. Definitely try these!
Such a great treat for summer!
These bars are so easy to make and absolutely delicious! Perfect spring/summer dessert! #AKRecipeoftheMonth
The best! Glad you loved them!
Fantastic! Loved this recipe so much – the combination of the almond and oat flour made such a delicious flavour and texture – like an even better version of a berry crumble. We couldn’t resist and ate some straight out of the pan before cooling! As crumby as it was, it was excellent warm. Subbed vanilla for almond and worked just as well – although I’m sure almond would be even better. Will make again. #AKRecipeoftheMonth
The perfect treat!!