Blackberry Crumble Bars (Printable)

Buttery bars filled with juicy blackberries and topped with golden crumbs. Perfect for picnics and desserts.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust & Crumble

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 1 large egg

→ Blackberry Filling

08 - 3 cups fresh blackberries or frozen, thawed and drained
09 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
10 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
12 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest

# How-to Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until well combined.
03 - Add cold, cubed butter and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Add the egg and mix until dough starts to come together. The mixture will remain crumbly.
05 - Press about two-thirds of the dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form an even crust layer.
06 - In a separate bowl, gently toss blackberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until evenly coated.
07 - Spread the blackberry mixture evenly over the pressed crust.
08 - Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the blackberry layer, covering the fruit completely.
09 - Bake for 38-42 minutes until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling at the edges.
10 - Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting out and slicing into 16 bars.

# Expert Pointers:

01 -
  • The crust stays tender for days, never turning tough or dry like some other bar recipes
  • You get that perfect crunch topped contrast without any complicated techniques
  • Fresh blackberries shine through without being buried under too much sugar
02 -
  • Hot blackberry filling will ooze everywhere if you cut too soon, so patience during cooling is absolutely required
  • Cold butter makes the difference between tender crumble and tough dough, so do not rush softening it
  • Frozen berries work but add a few extra minutes to the baking time if they are still icy
03 -
  • Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the whole batch out at once for perfectly clean cuts
  • Chill the pan for 15 minutes before baking if your dough feels too soft or sticky

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