Strawberry Oatmeal Bars (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ For the Base and Crumble Topping
01 -
1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose/plain flour
02 -
1 ½ cups (120 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
03 -
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
04 -
½ teaspoon baking/bicarb soda
05 -
¾ cup (185 g) butter, melted
06 -
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
07 -
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ For the Strawberry Filling
08 -
280 g (10 oz) fresh strawberries, cut into ½ cm (¼") pieces
09 -
3 teaspoon corn flour/starch
10 -
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
11 -
1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
12 -
2 tablespoon light brown sugar
# Instructions:
01 -
Preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 20 x 20cm (8 x 8 inch) baking dish with non-stick baking paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to make it easier to remove the bars later.
02 -
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, rolled oats, salt, and baking soda, mixing well until evenly distributed.
03 -
In another bowl, melt the butter and add the vanilla extract and brown sugar, stirring until combined.
04 -
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until everything is moistened and comes together into a crumbly dough.
05 -
Take about ¾ of the mixture (reserve about 150g or 5.2oz for the topping) and press it firmly into the prepared baking dish to create an even base layer.
06 -
Bake the base for 12 minutes until it's just starting to turn a pale golden color.
07 -
While the base is baking, combine the chopped strawberries, corn flour/starch, orange juice, orange zest, and brown sugar in a small bowl, stirring gently to coat the strawberries evenly.
08 -
When the base comes out of the oven, immediately spread the strawberry mixture evenly over the hot base. Then crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top of the strawberries using your fingers.
09 -
Return the dish to the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes more until the topping is light golden brown and cooked through.
10 -
Remove from the oven and let cool on the counter for 30 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 30 minutes more until completely chilled. This cooling time is essential - cutting the bars while warm will cause them to fall apart.
11 -
Once fully cooled, lift the bars out of the pan using the paper overhang and cut into squares on a cutting board.
# Notes:
01 -
You can use gluten-free all-purpose flour and gluten-free oats if you need to make these bars gluten-free.
02 -
If fresh strawberries aren't in season, you can use strawberry jam instead (check the author's Jam Oatmeal Bars recipe for guidance).
03 -
For the best texture and appearance, be sure to allow the bars to cool completely before cutting.