Blueberry Crumb Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free, Vegan}
This gluten-free and vegan blueberry crumb bars recipe was developed exclusively for Nuts.com and our customers by Miryam Quinn Doblas, Registered Dietitian (RD). Miryam inspires others with her passion for creating healthy and delicious recipes on her website, Eat Good 4 Life.
There’s something so comforting about these blueberry crumb bars. They remind me of summertime and the outdoor celebrations that the warmer weather inspires. The delicious gluten-free pastry crust is covered with real blueberries and topped with sweet, crumbly goodness. Make them as a treat for your next picnic, or simply enjoy them at home throughout the week.
For a gluten-free alternative to all purpose flour, I made the crust from a combination of almond flour and coconut flour. The texture they provide is similar to that of wheat flour, to compensate for the lack of gluten. This blend of gluten-free flours achieves the ideal firmness and consistency, and makes a delicious crust. The best part is that almond flour and coconut flour are packed with nutrients you won’t find in white flour.
Almond flour is a powerhouse of protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin E. It provides 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of dietary fiber per serving so baked goods made with almond flour tend to be quite satisfying. Since it can be used as a one-to-one replacement for wheat flour in baked goods, almond flour is truly a gluten-free baker’s dream come true. For this recipe, I decided that using almond flour in combination with coconut flour would yield the best results.
Coconut flour packs an impressive 11 grams of dietary fiber per serving. High-fiber foods like coconut flour can support the digestive system and help regulate spikes in blood sugar. As an added bonus, coconut flour supplies notable levels of protein and iron. The low-glycemic and grain-free attributes of coconut flour make it an attractive option for low-carb, paleo, and gluten-sensitive dieters. It has a mild flavor that won’t overwhelm your recipes, and tends to be palatable even for people who don’t like coconut. One thing to note about coconut flour is that it is highly absorbent, so recipes using the flour tend to call for more liquid, eggs or oils.
Blueberry season is right around the corner, so take advantage of the fresh, plump and sweet berries in your crumb bars. Many recipes online call for jam in place of real fruit, but there’s no need for that. Even if you don’t have access to fresh blueberries, you can still use frozen ones which retain the same high levels of potent nutrients like antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin K, potassium, and more.
The crumbly topping is absolutely delicious and complements the sweet blueberries perfectly. You could even toss in some chopped pecans or walnuts for a bit of crunch. For a vegan treat, I used coconut oil instead of butter. It works just as well as butter to lends the ideal pastry-like consistency for the crust and topping. Coconut oil is also recognized as a healthy fat, and one in which the body can easily use for energy. Plus, its lauric acid content supports a strong immune system.
These gluten-free blueberry crumb bars are a delight to make and a joy to eat. Whip up a batch to bring to your next potluck or simply store them in the fridge to enjoy as your go-to dessert this week.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Almond Flour
- 1/3 cup Organic Coconut Flour
- 1/4 cup Organic Coconut Oil
- 1/3 cup Agave Syrup, or maple syrup
- 3-4 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 12 oz blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tsp Arrowroot Powder, or cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Brown Rice Flour
- 3 tbsp Organic Coconut Oil
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine and mix the crust ingredients. Press this mixture evenly onto the bak-ing pan using your hands or a spatula, and set aside.
- Place the blueberries on a plate and mix in the arrowroot powder. Spread the blueberries over the crust.
- In a small bowl, mix the topping ingredients until they clump together. Sprinkle the topping over the blueberries. Bake the bars for 35-40 minutes. Let them cool completely before cutting. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
The leftover crumb bars should be covered and stored in the fridge, where they can keep for up to 4 or 5 days.
Add all Nuts.com ingredients to your cart
This recipe was developed and photographed exclusively for Nuts.com by Miryam Quinn Doblas, RD, of Eat Good 4 Life.
17 Responses to “Blueberry Crumb Bars Recipe {Gluten-Free, Vegan}”
I am going to sub gluten free oats pulsed in the food processor for the brown rice flour in the topping.
Sounds like a great substitution, Pam! Let us know how it goes 🙂
I love that idea to substitute oats or I might substitute quinoa flakes or quinoa flour. I would also use tapioca starch instead of arrowroot because tapioca works really well when combined with fruit. Instead of agave or maple syrup, I would use coconut nectar or honey instead. I may totally change up this recipe and use raspberries and blackberries instead of blueberries because that’s what was on sale recently and so that’s what’ in my fridge right now. I look forward to making these. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Hi Susan! Let us know how your substitutions work in the recipe. We hope you enjoy the crumb bars!
Hi Meghan,
What could I use as a substitute for brown rice flour and sugar to make it Paleo?
Thanks in advance!
Hi Kezia – For paleo substitutes, you can use almond flour in place of the brown rice flour. The sugar can be replaced with an unrefined sweetener such as agave powder or coconut sugar. I hope that helps!
I just made them Paleo with almond flour and coconut sugar…baked it for 40 minutes. some edges were cooked …taste great but think I need to cook a bit longer to be able to cut into bars. Making a 2nd batch tomorrow to bring to a potluck on Saturday. Thank you for this amazing recipe!!!
Hi Beth! Glad to hear that the paleo version turned out well. We hope everyone at your potluck enjoys them 🙂
Made the blueberry crumb bars and they were so delicious and healthy tasting with the coconut flour and oil. I substituted Rice flour because I didn’t have any Almond flour and they turned out perfect in my opinion. Thank you “Nuts” family for providing your wonderful products.
We’re so happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Marian! Thank you for the sweet comment 🙂
I made these this weekend and made them Paleo by using almond flour in place of the brown rice flour. I also used frozen blueberries that I had picked locally last year and froze. I thought there was a bit too much “dough” for my liking, but what surprised me the most is that not a single blueberry got “mashed” or cooked through and they were all still individual berries running amuck and I couldn’t cut them into squares, so just had to lump them into a dish and eat them out of the container. And maybe because they didn’t get “baked in” might be why I thought they were too doughy for my liking. Any ideas? I used the same pan you recommended and followed the recipe and cooking times.
Just made these and they are so delicious! That crumb topping is pretty much spot on, it goes so so well with the juicy berry filling. I added a little bit of rolled oats to the topping as well and it added a nice little texture. Great recipe!
Thanks, Maddy! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂
I tried this recipe last night exactly as written (with fresh berries)… Yum! I ended up cooking the bars for 40 minutes in a Pyrex. The top still didn’t look quite done, so I stuck them under the broiler for one minute at the end. Oh, and before I broiled them, I pushed the crumb topping part down with a spatula to help create more of an outer crust–it looked too loose to me… Maybe I didn’t mix it well enough? Anyway, once cooked and cooled, they easily cut into squares with a serrated knife. These will definitely be made again!
Hi Amy – Glad to hear it turned out well for you in the end. Thanks for sharing your experience!
My coconut oil stays in a liquid state in my cabinet. It doesn’t specify in the recipe to melt the coconut oil. Does it need to be harder (like the consistency of room temperature butter) to make these work? I wasn’t sure if it would work either way. Any advice from folks that have made these?
Hi Erica, you may use the coconut oil at a liquid state. It does not need to be firmer. Coconut oil is liquid above 75 degrees F, and solid below that temperature. Either way will work for this recipe.