Description
These chewy strawberries and cream oat bars feature a jammy strawberry filling nestled between a buttery oat crumble, finished with a white chocolate drizzle. They’re quick to make and have the best jammy strawberry filling!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
OATMEAL BASE AND CRUMBLE
- 1 1/2 cups (135 grams) rolled oats
- 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3 grams) salt
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
STRAWBERRY FILLING
- 2 cups (300 grams) fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (16 grams) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
WHITE CHOCOLATE TOPPING
- 1/4 cup (45 grams) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch (20×20 cm) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on all sides to easily lift the bars later.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk them together until well combined.
- Pour the melted butter and vanilla extract into the oat mixture. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Use the back of a measuring cup or your hands to ensure it’s a compact layer.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the chopped strawberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir everything together until the strawberries are well coated.
- Let the strawberry mixture sit for a minute or two, then carefully drain any excess liquid that has accumulated. This helps prevent a soggy bottom!
- Pour the strawberry filling evenly over the pressed oat base in the baking pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the oat mixture over the strawberry filling to create the crumble topping. Gently press the oats into the strawberry layer.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the strawberry filling is bubbly.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is crucial for them to set properly. Once cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift them out of the pan.
- Set up a double boiler: fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water and bring it to a simmer. Place a heatproof bowl on top of the saucepan (make sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Add the white chocolate chips to the bowl and stir occasionally until fully melted and smooth.
- Pour the melted white chocolate into a small Ziploc bag and snip a tiny corner off. Drizzle the white chocolate decoratively over the cooled oat bars. Let the chocolate set for a few minutes, then cut the bars into 16 squares or rectangles using a sharp knife.
Notes
- Don’t skip the strawberry drain! That little bit of excess liquid can make your bars a bit too wet. Draining it ensures a perfectly jammy, not watery, filling.
- Press that base layer firmly. Seriously, put some elbow grease into it! A well-compacted base is key for bars that hold together beautifully when you slice them.
- White chocolate can be finicky. The recipe specifies a double boiler for melting white chocolate for a reason. It’s much gentler than a microwave, which can easily overheat and seize the chocolate, turning it into a clumpy mess. Slow and steady wins the race here!
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Bars
- Method: Baking
