Blackberry Breakfast Bars
These homemade blackberry bars combine juicy berries with a hearty oat crumble for a treat that works just as well at the breakfast table as it does for dessert. The berries are cooked into a simple filling, then layered between a buttery oat crust and crumbly topping. Fresh, frozen, or canned berries can all work, making this an especially handy recipe for using what you have on hand.
What You’ll Need
For the blackberry filling:
16 ounces (about 4 cups) frozen or canned blackberries
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the crust and crumble:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
1¼ teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup butter or margarine*
If using unsalted butter, the original recipe notes that you can reduce the added salt.
How To Make It
Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a baking pan.
Thaw the blackberries in a saucepan and warm them until their juices begin to run.
Drain and reserve 1 cup of the berry juice, adding a little water if necessary to make a full cup.
Let the reserved juice cool slightly, then combine it with the cornstarch and lemon juice.
Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook, stirring, until thickened.
Stir in the blackberries and set the filling aside.
In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, allspice, and cinnamon.
Cut in the butter until the mixture becomes crumbly.
Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture into the prepared 9×13” baking pan to form the crust.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Let the crust cool slightly, then spread the blackberry filling evenly over it.
Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the blackberry layer and press it down lightly.
Bake for another 20–25 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool completely in the pan before cutting into bars.
