Healthy Vegan Berry Crumble Bars sweetened with only banana and a little maple syrup! They don't have any butter or oil so are perfect for those who prefer wholefoods. I packed them with oats and chia seeds making them a wholesome breakfast, snack or dessert!
These vegan bars are perfect for when you want a lazy, easy and quick snack. In fact, the messier they are, the better!
Layers of these Vegan Berry Crumble Bars
The base and crumble are made from the same mixture! They are a simple a mixture of oats, almond meal, banana, spices and salt. Add them all to the food processor and you are pretty much done. Instead of using butter and oil, I used banana to help the ingredients stick together. The almond meal has natural oils which gives the bars some bite.
The filling is a super simple mixture of berries, chia seeds and a sweetener of your choice. I also added a teeny bit of cornstarch so the jam holds up when it is cut into bars.
How to serve these vegan berry crumble bars
I LOVE serving these bars fresh from the oven because the topping is still crisp! However, I think they are still delicious with a scoop (or two) of vegan ice cream and at room temperature, say on a road trip.
Love berries as much as me?
Feel free to check out my other berry recipes:
- Double Chocolate and Raspberry Cookies
- Baked Vegan Cheesecake with Berries
- Ultimate Blueberry Cinnamon Scrolls
Berry and Banana Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Base and Crumble
- 1 ½ cups (180g) rolled oats
- 2 cups (200g) blanched almond meal / almond flour
- 1 (~100g) medium-size banana, mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of any good quality salt
- ¼ cup (100g) any liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or coconut nectar, if desired and to taste
Berry filling
- 2 cups (300g) frozen or fresh blueberries
- 2 cups (250g) frozen or fresh raspberries
- ¼ cup (50g) chia seeds
- 2 tbsp corn starch / corn flour
- ¼ cup (100g) any liquid sweetener, such as maple syrup or coconut nectar, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan with baking paper.
- To prepare the base: Add 1 cup (120g) rolled oats to a food processor and process until it reaches coarse crumbs. If you don't have a food processor, roughly chop the rolled oats with a knife on a chopping board. Set aside the remaining ½ cup (60g) of rolled oats for the crumble topping.
- To make the base: Add the chopped oats and the rest of the ingredients to a large bowl. Mix until it becomes a paste and is well-combined. Firmly press ¾ of the mixture into the base of your baking pan. Set aside the remaining ¼ of the mixture.
- Bake the crust in the oven for 20 minutes or until the surface is golden brown.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the berry filling: Add all ingredients and a dash of water to a medium-size saucepan. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes while smashing the fruit with the back of a fork. Reduce to simmer for 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
- Spread the berry filling on top of the cooked base.
- To make the crumble: Add the remaining ½ cup (60g) of rolled oats to the remaining base mixture. Mix until combined. Scatter the crumble on top of the berry filling.
- Bake the crumble bars for another 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
- Allow the bars to cool in the baking tin. Remove, cut and enjoy! The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
Please leave a comment below if you made this recipe, have any questions or thoughts! Your comment will help other readers and Rainbow Nourishments.
Hi. Could I use coconut flour instead of almond flour??
I wouldn't recommend coconut flour as it's extremely absorbent and you'd have to change the ratios for the liquids. Try another gluten-free flour, such as buckwheat!