Paleo Berry Crumble Bars

Grain-Free Berry Crumble Bars

Grain-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Paleo

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You will love these berry bars berry much! There is nothing better on a summer afternoon than biting into the crispy yet soft texture of one of these treats. Chock full of delicious summer berries sandwiched between two layers of buttery crust. With this recipe you will be the talk of the town at the next summer pot-luck!

The best part about baking with berries are the endless possibilities. Make these bars simple by choosing just one berry, or go crazy with a berry medley. Either way your taste buds will LOVE this recipe!

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 9

Ingredients:

Crust and Crumb Topping:

• ½ cup coconut sugar or regular sugar
• ½ teaspoon Otto's Naturals Grain-Free Baking Powder
• 1 1/8 cup Otto's Naturals - Cassava Flour, 170-175 grams
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup very cold unsalted butter (8 Tablespoons or 1 stick of butter)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Berry Filling:

• 2 cups fresh berries of choice or 10 oz. frozen (thaw before using, no need to drain)
• Juice of ½ a lemon (optional)
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar or regular sugar
• 2 teaspoons tapioca or arrowroot starch
• ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Place parchment paper on the bottom of the 8x8 pan so that it hangs over the side of the pan. (This will make it way easier to remove the bars after cooking.)
3. To make the crust/crumble, stir together the sugar, cassava flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
4. Using a fork or a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the flour mixture. Work with the dough until the pieces are very small. The dough will be crumbly. You can also pulse in a food processor until you get pea-sized crumbs.
5. In a separate bowl, beat the egg and vanilla with a fork. Add to the flour mixture and combine until you have a crumbly mixture.
6. Press and pat down half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Set aside in the refrigerator.
7. To make the filling, stir together 1/3 cup sugar and tapioca or arrowroot in a bowl. Stir in the berries and mix well.
8. Spoon the berry mixture evenly over the bottom crust.
9. Crumble the remaining crumb mixture over the top of the berry filling layer.
10. Bake in a preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden brown.
11. Allow to cool and then pop in the refrigerator to completely set up. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Do these need to be refrigerated?

Yep. These bars should be kept in an air-tight container in the refrigerator to ensure they stay fresh. 

How do I use frozen berries in this recipe?

Something to keep in mind when baking with frozen berries is that the berries should be thawed before mixing them into batter or baking. This helps with keeping the berries intact and juicy. No need to drain these before baking this recipe. You want that moisture! 

What are the best berries for baking?

There is no specific berry that is better than another. The perfect berry to bake with is your favorite one! Make this recipe your own by trying out different variations!

Picking the perfect berries in the grocery store

When purchasing strawberries, look for berries that are plump and red. The green caps should look fresh and bright, and there should be minimal white shoulders. Avoid strawberries that look wet or wrinkled.

Blueberries do not continue to ripen after harvesting so avoid berries that look red. The ideal blueberries should be plump, round and blue.