Try this Triple Berry Crumb Bars recipe, or contribute your own.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 cups + 1 heaping tablespoon gluten-free “measure for me divided (could use regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need to eat gf)
- 1 cup white sugar divided
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold butter or vegan butter cubed
- 1 pint blueberries
- 6 oz raspberries
- 6 oz blackberries
- Carbohydrate 393.761328748924 g
- Cholesterol 214.766666660039 mg
- Fat 7.66307737858194 g
- Fiber 21.4564793062284 g
- Protein 13.7707675512588 g
- Saturated Fat 2.06271872149669 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (833g)
- Sodium 221.39727600985 mg
- Sugar 372.304849442696 g
- Trans Fat 1.46692257588477 g
- Calories 1640 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees then spray a 9x13 baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl add berries, 1/2 cup white sugar and heaping Tablespoon gluten-free flour then gently stir to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together remaining 3 cups gluten-free flour, remaining 1/2 cup white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk egg and vanilla together in a small dish then drizzle over the flour mixture and add cubed butter. Use a fork to stir everything together then switch to a pastry cutter or use your fingers to blend until small crumbles of butter remain. Scoop a little more then half the crumb mixture into prepared pan then firmly press into an even layer. Pour berries over crust then spread into an even layer. Squeeze handfuls of remaining crumble into clumps with your hands then crumble evenly over berries.
- Bake for 38-40 minutes or until crumble topping is light golden brown, rotating baking pan 180 degrees halfway through. Check on bars at the halfway mark then place a piece of foil on top if crumble topping is browning too quickly. Uncover for the last 8-10 mins to let crumble get golden brown. Cool bars completely before cutting into small squares and serving. Bars soften as they sit (and get better, in my opinion!) so store in the refrigerator if not eaten within 24 hours.
Flour Choices and Structural Integrity
Substituting regular all-purpose flour for a gluten-free measure-for-measure blend alters the hydration requirements slightly because wheat protein develops gluten networks that commercial starches cannot replicate. Xanthan gum or similar binders included in commercial gluten-free blends compensate for this difference, holding the crumb together during slicing. Cube cold butter precisely and cut it into the dry ingredients until pea-sized pieces remain, ensuring steam pockets form during baking to create a flaky, tender crumb rather than a dense pastry layer.Managing Moisture in Fresh Fruit Fillings
Blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries release significant liquid when exposed to heat, threatening to dissolve the base crust if not properly managed. Tossing the fruit with a portion of sugar and extra flour coats the berries and thickens their juices into a stable gel as the starches gelatinize at 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain any pooling juices from the berry bowl before pouring the fruit onto the pressed base to prevent soggy layers.Baking Dynamics and Thermal Control
Rotate the 9x13-inch pan 180 degrees at the 20-minute mark to compensate for uneven oven hotspots. Cover the surface loosely with aluminum foil if the crumb topping browns faster than the 38-to-40-minute total baking window requires, then remove the foil for the final 8 to 10 minutes. Cool the pan completely on a wire rack before cutting, allowing the internal starches to set fully.
