Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

4.89 from 9 votes

These Easy Strawberry Oatmeal Bars feature a thick, jammy layer of real strawberries nestled between a buttery, brown sugar oat crust and a golden crumb topping. A comforting, bakery-style treat that is perfect for summer desserts, school lunches, or a quick grab-and-go breakfast!

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Cooling Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: bars

Calories: 277kcal

Author: Nora from Savory Nothings

Ingredients

For the filling

10 oz chopped strawberries
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice

For the Oatmeal Cookie Dough:

1 stick softened butter (½ cup or 8 tablespoons)
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¾ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Make batter and filling:

Prepare filling:
Place all ingredients for filling in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly until berries release their juices, then set aside to cool as you continue with recipe.
10 oz chopped strawberries, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Prep:
Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 inch pan with baking parchment, leaving an overhang.
Make oatmeal batter:
Beat softened butter with both sugars in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Add egg and vanilla and beat just until fully incorporated (do not overmix.)
Evenly sprinkle flour, oats, baking powder and salt over creamed ingredients and fold in with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until stiff batter forms.
1 stick softened butter, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ¼ cup white sugar, 1 large egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Assemble bars:

Bottom layer:
Spread ⅔ of batter in bottom of prepared pan.
Top layer:
Spread with strawberry filling. Scatter remaining cookie dough in blobs on top.

Bake:

Bake bars:
Bake for around 25-35 minutes, or until bars are set and top is golden brown. Bars will still feel soft when done.
Cool bars in pan on a wire rack on counter for at least 30 minutes before lifting out to slice.
Serve:
Slice the cooled bars into squares. Serve warm or at room temperature (they are firmer when fully cooled, use forks for warm bars.)

Notes

Cook the Filling First: Do not skip the stovetop step. Cooking the strawberries with cornstarch thickens the juices completely, preventing a soggy bottom crust and allowing you to adjust the sweetness if your berries are tart.

Build the Corners: When assembling, make sure to drop plenty of your dough "blobs" right along the edges and corners of the pan. These blobs melt together to form a sturdy wall that locks the jam in place for cleaner cutting.

Cool Well Before Slicing: These bars are extremely soft when hot and will crumble if cut early. Leave them in the pan on a wire cooling rack for at least 30 minutes, or ideally, let them cool completely overnight.

Nutrition