These paleo and vegan blueberry crumb bars are gooey sweet and totally addicting! They’re a great treat to have around for a heathy snack or dessert. Easy to make, gluten-free, grain free, vegan, and total comfort food!
Blueberries are my favorite fruit to bake with, hands down.
Not to minimize my love for any of the other incredible fruits (apples, you are SO special too), but there’s just something about those blueberries! Year round, they can do no wrong in my book.
Whether it’s blueberry muffins, blueberry banana bread, a cobbler, cookies, or pancakes, the juiciness and flavor of baking or cooking with blueberries just can’t be beat, in my opinion.
And now, with these Paleo and vegan blueberry crumb bars, I think we just might have a new blueberry infatuation.
All that said, these blueberry crumb bars drove me a little bit crazy as I tested them. I originally thought I could make the crust/crumble nearly identical to my lemon raspberry bars, but the juiciness of the blueberry filling made that crust a problem.
Although it tasted delicious, I tested it twice and both times, the crust became soggy after cooling. Not what I want from a crumb bar, you know?!
Don’t worry – none of these bars went to waste – even the soggy ones were seriously tasty and worth saving. But, I knew I needed to go in a different direction with the crust after the second batch.
The third batch was the charm, AKA the batch with a crust that could handle the weight of the juicy blueberry filling and a crumble that didn’t sink into the filling.
Nothing less than perfection, the way I see it!
This grain free and vegan crust/crumble mixture will appear dry and crumbly when you mix it – but it has the capability to be both a crust when pressed into the bottom of the baking pan, and a crumble to top the bars off.
The blueberry filling is super simple – just blueberries, coconut or maple sugar, a bit of lemon juice, and arrowroot starch to thicken (tapioca can be used too).
I recommend making the filling a bit ahead of time if you can so it has time to cool a bit before baking. However, it will also work it you make it just before baking – the bars might be slightly messier/gooier though – no biggie if you ask me.
I hope you’re ready to try these gooey, sweet, and addicting blueberry crumb bars! They’ll be perfect for your next gathering or even just to make ahead of time for after school snacks.
Either way, once you make them, they’ll most likely become a regular thing in your house! Get the apron on (blueberries are messy, I learn that over and over again the hard way!) and let’s bake!
Blueberry Crumb Bars {Paleo, Vegan}
Blueberry Crumb Bars {Paleo, Vegan}
These paleo and vegan blueberry crumb bars are gooey sweet and totally addicting! They’re a great treat to have around for a heathy snack or dessert. Easy to make and total comfort food!
Ingredients
Crust and Crumble:
- 1/4 cup smooth almond butter or cashew butter
- 3 tbsp organic coconut oil refined, melted and cooled to almost room temp
- 1/4 cup maple sugar or coconut sugar
- 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- Grated zest of one lemon
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/3 coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Blueberry filling:
- 3 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 2 Tbsp maple or coconut sugar
- 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch or tapioca
Instructions
Make the Filling:
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Place blueberries in a medium saucepan over med heat, add the lemon juice, sugar, and starch, then stir to combine. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning, then lower the heat to a strong simmer. Continue to simmer a few minutes until thickened.
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Remove from heat, transfer to a separate bowl and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the Crust/Crumble:
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Combine the dry ingredients (EXCEPT the sugar) in a medium bowl and set aside.
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In a large bowl, Whisk together the nut butter, coconut oil, sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, zest, and vanilla extract. Stir the dry mixture into the wet until a crumbly dough forms
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Line an 8x8” baking pan with parchment paper along bottom and sides and preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
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Press 2/3 of the dough into the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Chill remaining dough in the fridge while crust pre-bakes.
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Bake bottom crust in the preheated oven for 10 mins until set. Once done, top the crust with the blueberry mixture.
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Take the remaining chilled dough and crumble over the filling evenly.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes until topping is golden brown and set.
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Cool on a wire rack in the pan to bring to room temp, before cutting into squares. You can also chill prior to cutting to make things easier. Serve at room temp and store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo + Vegan Treats? Try One of These!
Almond Butter and Jelly Cookie Bars
Banana Blueberry Breakfast Cookies
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I simply LOVE crumb bars! These look so delicious and I love how easy it is to make them!
Yummy blueberry crumb bars!!! I have made so many of your recipes and every single one comes out so tasty. The only thing I use that is different as far as a sweetener is I use Lakanto golden monk fruit. Much less sweeter than other sugars.
I’ll have to try that, sounds great!
Can’t wait to make these! They look so awesome my mouth is watering! Thanks for all your hard work in creating them and sharing the recipe.
Enjoy!
Can you substitute almond flour for a different kind? I’m allergic to almonds.
Unfortunately I’m not sure what you could sub in here – as far as I know GF oat flour might be an option, although not paleo.
I’m loving all things blueberries lately! YUM 🙂
Love these! Used two cups fresh and one frozen of blueberries. Worked like a charm.
I really have to stop eating your desserts!
Thank you Michele for sharing this recipe. I just made these and they are so delicious.
I’m so happy you enjoyed them!
These look amazing and am going to try them tonight!! Do you think I could make them also using strawberries instead? We have almost 40 lbs of fresh picked strawberries I need to do something with haha!
Yes you definitely can!
Subbed in a cup of strawberries (a certain blueberry-obsessed 2 year old only left me with 2 cups of blueberries!) and they turned out delicious! YUMMY! Thank you for another great recipe!
I’m thrilled you liked them!
I just made these, a couple days ago, and they turned out great! Thanks for yet another wonderful recipe!
A little more work than I wanted to do, but man-oh-man am I glad I did! I added some shredded, unsweetened coconut to the crumb topping! Yum-eee!
Yay, thrilled it worked out!
My little guy is allergic to citrus, how important is the lemon? Can I leave it out?
Yes you can leave it out, it’s just for flavor here 🙂
Wow! I love these. So easy and delicious. My whole extended family loved them when I served them at the end of a steak dinner. Great paired with vanilla ice cream or non-dairy dessert. I would absolutely make these again!
This is my personal fav recipe from all the recipes that I’ve tried on this blog. It’s great for breakfast or dessert.
Would they be suitable to freeze?
Picked blueberries and came home and made this. It smells divine, worked well. Tonite we will taste 🙂
I made your Almond Sreawberry Jelly Bars and they turned out absolutely amazing. Trying these blueberry bars, but would like to double the recipe (as per husband and son haha. Ever try doubling up and if so, what size pan and at what temperature?
Hi! I’d say if you double it, use a 9 x 13″ and bake for just a bit longer, but watch for doneness.
Just came out of the oven!! Taste tested and sooo yummy. Satisfies the sweet tooth 🙂
I just discovered your blog and I love your recipes! This one was terrific, and my non-paleo firefighter husband loved these! He wouldn’t have known they were “healthy,” and remarked, “these are just good, period.” Can’t wait to try more, and thanks for the excellent recipes!