Mixed Berry Streusel Bars
These Mixed Berry Streusel Bars are bursting with sweet, tart berries, surrounded by soft and buttery streusel, then finished with a tangy lemon glaze. You’ll be berry happy you made these!
It’s summertime and that means berry season is here! These Mixed Berry Streusel Bars are simple yet scrumptious. Buttery streusel is used for the base as well as the crumbly top, with a thick layer of slightly sweet and tart berries in between. The bars are finished off with a drizzle of tangy lemon glaze. I love chilling these bars for a few hours but they’re great at room temperature as well. Or a big scoop of vanilla ice cream on top would be delicious too!
Why You’ll Love These
- Quick and so simple to make
- Delicious and sweet, but not too heavy
- Perfect for summer gatherings
- Great way to use up any leftover berries
- Can easily be made dairy free/vegan (swap the butter for a vegan alternative, like Earth Balance)
What Types of Berries Can I Use?
I like using a mixture of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries and going heavy on the blueberries with equal parts of the raspberries and blackberries. Blueberries are the perfect size for this because they tend to fill in any empty pockets so every bite is bursting with berries. You can use any combination you’d like, or even keep it to only one or two types of berries. Just make sure you have 2 ½ – 3 cups of berries total. Give it a try with strawberries or even cherries!
Ingredients
Besides the fresh berries, which are the star of the show here, you’ll only need a few other simple pantry ingredients. Get your list ready and let’s get started!
For the Bars
- Flour
- Sugar
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Berries
- Lemon Juice
- Cornstarch
For the Lemon Glaze
- Powdered Sugar
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Extract
How to Make Mixed Berry Streusel Bars
- Make the Streusel. I love that this all comes together in one bowl and is used for the base and the topping. Using melted butter here makes it so easy and all you need for mixing is a fork! Add a little over half of the streusel to your baking pan, compact it down, then bake it to create the base. The rest will be used for the crumbly topping.
- Toss the Berries. The berries get a nice light coating of sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. The sugar adds a touch of sweetness, there’s tartness from the lemon juice and the cornstarch will help so any juice from the berries thickens up.
- Assemble the bars. Once the base cools a little, you’ll add the berries then top it off with the rest of the streusel. I like to break this up into fine crumbs with my hands so every inch of the berries is covered. Then you’ll bake the bars.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon extract and you’ve got the glaze. It’s that easy! This can be made without the lemon extract but I love the hint of tang and zest it adds. I just use my whisk to drizzle this onto the bars.
- Cut, glaze, and enjoy! Once the bars have cooled (I know it’s tempting but make sure they are completely cool), cut them up then drizzle on that glaze. Chill in the fridge or enjoy at room temperature!
How to Store the Berry Streusel Bars
These bars can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge. They’ll stay pretty soft at room temperature while the streusel base will get nice and firm in the fridge. I personally love eating these slightly chilled. Be sure to keep them in an airtight container or tightly sealed with plastic wrap either way.
More Summer Dessert Ideas
- Chantilly Crepe Cake
- Chocolate Sprinkle Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Raspberry Orange Pistachio Cake
- Caramel Cone Crunch Cookies
- Lemon Bundt Cakes
If you make these delicious summer treats, I’d love for you to leave me a comment or share and tag me on Instagram! Happy Baking friends!
Mixed Berry Streusel Bars
Ingredients
For the Streusel
- 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup (146g) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (170g) butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Berries
- 1 cup (170g) fresh blueberries
- ⅔ cup (110g) fresh raspberries
- ⅔ cup (115g) fresh blackberries
- 2 Tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon (14g) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
For the Lemon Glaze
- ½ cup (58g) powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract, optional
Instructions
- Streusel: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease an 8” x 8” square pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper to create a sling, with an overhang on all four sides.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the melted butter and vanilla and mix together with a fork until the mixture is fully combined and crumbly.
- Add a little more than half of the streusel to the bottom of the prepared pan and press down until firmly and evenly packed down. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Berries: In another bowl, combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss with a spoon until combined. Once the streusel base has cooled, add the berries and spread into an even layer.
- Break up the remaining streusel into small clumps and sprinkle over the berries to create an even layer. Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until the streusel starts to get golden brown. Allow to cool completely then cut into 8 equal pieces.
- Glaze: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon extract until combined. Drizzle the glaze over the bars.
- Serve chilled or at room temperature and enjoy!
Notes
- Storing: The finished bars can be stored at room temperature or in the fridge.
- Berries: You can use any combination of berries, totaling 2 ½ – 3 cups altogether. Frozen berries can be used instead of fresh, but make sure not to thaw them.
