Name: Grain Free Berry Crumble Bars with Lemon Glaze
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups almond flour; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 pint blueberries; 6oz blackberries; 6oz raspberries; 1/4 cup maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; zest of 1 lemon; juice of 1 lemon (at least 1/4 cup); 1 1/2 tablespoons arrowroot starch; 1 1/4 cups almond flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 tablespoons almond milk; 1 teaspoon lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest

Dairy and grain free Berry Crumble Bars made with a sweet yet tart triple berry jam, sandwiched in between the perfect shortbread crust and crumble topping. These bars are made with plenty of fresh berries, lemon juice, and sweetened with a touch of maple syrup. You will love them!

Delicious (and Easy!) Berry Crumble Bars

Fresh berry desserts are some of my very favorites! These easy Mixed Berry Crumble Bars highlight the delicious flavor of fresh berries with notes of fresh lemon and vanilla.

Watch How to Make This Recipe

Not only do they taste great, these bars are easy to make and come together relatively quickly with simple ingredients. They’re also allergen friendly and made without dairy or grains which makes them gluten free.

These mixed berry crumble bars are the perfect combination of sweet, tart, and just a little chewy. Serve them as is or make the delicious lemon glaze to drizzle on top. I know you will love them!

Mixed Berry Crumble Bar Ingredients

Almond Flour: to keep these bars completely grain free, we’re using finely ground and blanched almond flour.

Maple Syrup: be sure to grab pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup for the best flavor and results.

Vanilla Extract: you’ll add a little of this to both the crust/crumb topping as well as the berries for that delicious vanilla flavor.

Coconut Oil: I wanted to keep these bars completely dairy free so that they’re a great option for anyone with a dairy allergy. Instead of butter, this recipe uses coconut oil to help bind the crust and crumb topping together.

Berries: these mixed berry bars use a combination of fresh blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries!

Lemon Juice and Zest: fresh berries always need a squeeze of lemon juice and zest to really make their flavor sing.

Arrowroot Starch: this is a grain free thickener that works like cornstarch. Be sure to whisk it together with liquid and make a slurry before adding it to dishes. I include instructions on how to best use it for these bars, below.

Lemon Glaze: Last but not least, these bars are drizzled with a yummy lemon glaze before serving. The glaze is made with a combination of powdered sugar, almond milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest. You can obviously skip the glaze if you prefer but it’s such a delicious addition to the bars.

Ingredient Substitutions and FAQs

What can I substitute for almond flour? – I have not tested these bars with any other flour besides almond flour. If you do not have almond flour you could try finely ground oat flour instead. Do not use coconut flour as it cannot be used as a 1-to-1 replacement.
Could I use honey instead of maple syrup? – yes! honey, or the liquid sweetener of your choice will work here!
Do I have to use coconut oil? – nope! you can use regular butter if you do not care about the bars being dairy free. Your favorite plant-based butter alternative would also likely work well.
Can I use a different combination of berries? – sure! you could use all of one berry or just two types of berries instead of three. Just make sure that the total amount is equal to 28 ounces.
Can I use frozen berries? – yes! just use them straight from frozen. Depending on the amount of moisture the frozen berries release, you may need to cook the jam a few minutes longer to ensure that it is thick enough.
What can I use instead of arrowroot starch? – cornstarch is a great 1-to-1 replacement for arrowroot starch and will work in this recipe. If you need a grain free replacement, you can use tapioca starch.

Helpful Kitchen Tools

How to Make Berry Crumble Bars

Step One: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 square baking dish with parchment paper.

Step Two: Add the crust ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir until well combined and you have a slightly sticky dough. Press the dough into the lined baking dish in an even layer. Use a fork to poke holes in the top of the crust. Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until golden and then remove from the oven and set aside.

Step Three: Now make the crumb topping! Add the topping ingredients to a mixing bowl. Stir until everything is well combined and you have a sticky crumble like topping. Set aside.

Step Four: Now it’s time to make the mixed berry jam for the bars. Add the berries, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to a small non-stick pot. Bring the mixture to a boil and let them cook for 10 minutes. While the berries are cooking, whisk together the lemon juice and arrowroot starch until well combined. Once the berries have cooked, remove them from the heat and stir in the arrowroot starch slurry until well combined and the berries have thickened into a jam like consistency.

Step Five: While the berries are cooking you can make the lemon glaze! Whisk together the powdered sugar, almond milk, lemon juice, and lemon zest until well combined and smooth. Set aside.

Step Six: Pour the thickened berry jam over the par-baked crust and spread out into an even layer, ensuring that all of the crust is covered. Next, use your fingers to sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the jam.

Step Seven: Bake the bars at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until the jam is bubbly around the edges and the top is golden brown. Let the bars cool completely before slicing into 12 pieces and drizzling with the lemon glaze.

How to Store

Store the mixed berry bars in an air-tight container in the fridge for three to five days to keep them fresh.

Tips and Tricks for the Best Bars

Line your baking pan with parchment paper – Grease the pan a bit before adding a sheet of parchment paper. This helps the parchment paper stick to the bottom of the pan so it won’t slip around while you are pressing in the crust.
Let the bars cool before slicing – I know it’s hard but after the bars are finished baking, you need to let them cool completely before slicing and trying to pick them up. The jam needs to fully set so that they do not fall apart.
Chill the bars in the fridge – Speaking of fridge, these bars are actually delicious straight out of the fridge. If you just can’t wait to let the bars cool at room temp, place them in the fridge for 30-40 minutes to speed the process along.
Use a sharp knife to cut the bars – A sharp knife will help you make a clean cut and get through the thick bottom layer of crust.