Bake

Mixed Berry and Walnut Crumble Bars

by:
May  5, 2014
4.3
3 Ratings
Mixed Berry and Walnut Crumble Bars
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 15 minutes
  • Cook time 45 minutes
  • Makes One 8 x 8-inch pan of bars
Author Notes

These soft, berry-filled bars are topped with a not-too-sweet crumble of oats, walnuts, and flaky coconut. The crumble is both a press-in crust and a topping, so the preparation is simple. They’re inspired by Karen Demasco’s Back-to-School Raspberry Granola Bars in The Craft of Baking. As much as I like her version, I wanted to swap the jam filling for fresh berries. However, I knew I’d run the risk of a runny filling. As a workaround, I turned to Cathy Barrow’s (aka mrswheelbarrow's) ingenious technique published in the NYTimes to thicken strawberry jam. She uses kiwi, which is full of natural pectin and unobtrusive in flavor. The extra step of cooking the berries seemed way too fussy for a crumble bar, so I peeled and grated the kiwi before adding it to my berries, similar to adding grated apple to thicken fruit pie or pastry. It worked a charm: the berry filling was juicy and perfectly set, without any of the gumminess that comes from cornstarch or flour. From there, I tinkered with the recipe to suit my taste. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made year-round with any combination of fresh or frozen berries, but I’m partial to the combination of blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries. —EmilyC

Test Kitchen Notes

EmilyC’s take on a fruit-filled granola bar is a wonderful after-school snack or a weekday dessert. I love how easy it is, and that it calls for ingredients that I already have in my pantry and freezer. I used some frozen apricots and sweet cherries from last summer and they were divine. If your fruit is a bit tart, consider adding a tiny amount of sugar to the fruit layer. —cookinginvictoria

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (often labeled as coconut chips)
  • 1 firm kiwi, peeled
  • 2 cups to 2 1/2 fresh or frozen berries (do not thaw), any combination
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Directions
  1. Heat the oven to 350° F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. Spread the walnuts and coconut flakes evenly in a small baking dish and toast for about 5 minutes, until just lightly browned. Let cool.
  3. While the walnuts and coconut are toasting, coarsely grate the kiwi into a small bowl, making sure to catch the juice. Small remnants can be finely diced. Add the berries and lemon juice to the grated kiwi and stir to combine. Set aside.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small skillet over medium heat melt the butter and cook until it turns brown and smells nutty, about 4 to 6 minutes. Be sure to stir frequently, scraping up any bits from the bottom so they don't burn. Take the pan off the heat and let cool slightly.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, rolled oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, toasted walnuts, coconut flakes, lemon zest, salt, and baking soda. Add the browned butter and stir with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.
  6. Press 2/3 of the oat mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Spread the berry-kiwi mixture evenly across the crust, then sprinkle with the remaining oat mixture.
  7. Bake the bars for about 45 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking, until the top is golden brown and the berries are bubbling up around the edges. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crumble bars cool completely. Cut into squares and serve. Bars can be kept in an airtight container on the counter for two or three days, if not longer. They'll soften as they age but retain their texture.
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EmilyC

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

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11 Reviews

Tysiepup
Tysiepup July 27, 2020
Liked these a lot, cut the sugar a little bit and used half the salt as per previous review. I might make with full amount of salt next time, just to see. It’s a very easy and little bit healthy treat. Thank you.
 
becca
becca February 1, 2018
i love the idea of this recipe, but have to deal with kiwi allergy - thoughts on another fruit i can use instead? thanks!
 
Myrna T.
Myrna T. June 28, 2016
Made this today with raspberries and it has the potential to be great. One tsp. of kosher salt spoiled the crust. It already has baking soda in it so 1/4 tsp of regular table salt should be adequate. Don't see the need to layer parchment on the bottom which has been buttered. My husband did not enjoy pieces of paper in his samplers! LOL Love your site, thank you.
 
EmilyC
EmilyC June 30, 2016
Hi Myrna -- Thanks for trying these! I've never found 1 tsp of kosher salt to be too much, but of course this is a matter of personal taste and feel free to cut back next time! I'll bet these were good with all raspberries!
 
Two T.
Two T. June 23, 2016
Yum!
 
Sugartoast
Sugartoast January 16, 2016
Are you supposed to add the berry/kiwi mixture raw? Like you would in a pie? Thanks so much!
 
EmilyC
EmilyC January 16, 2016
Yes, raw!
 
aargersi
aargersi May 6, 2014
CAN be kept for 2-3 days but won't because I am gonna make them and eat the whole pan in a day.
 
EmilyC
EmilyC May 6, 2014
haha, I like your style!
 
hardlikearmour
hardlikearmour May 6, 2014
Yum! Love that kiwi trick :-)
 
EmilyC
EmilyC May 6, 2014
The idea to peel/grate the kiwi came from your Pear Rosemary Danish where you add grated apple; it's one of my all-time favorite recipes! : )