Kevin Lee Jacobs

Gardening, Recipes & Home Décor Tips

Blueberry Bars

BY Kevin Lee Jacobs | 82 Comments

Last updated on June 29th, 2020

(Click here for the updated (and superior!) version of this recipe.)NEED A QUICK ROUTE TO PARADISE? Then try my super-duper, perfect-for-a-picnic Blueberry Bars. Folks, these are deliciously-moist and incredibly-lemony. They are also utterly refreshing on a hot summer’s eve. But best of all, they are a cinch to make:

Blueberry Bars
Ingredients for about 24 1-inch x 2-inch bars

The crust:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
8 oz cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into a 1/2-inch dice
1 egg, beaten

The berry mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp non-gmo cornstarch*
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries

*You can use any cornstarch you like. I happen to prefer non-genetically modified (i.e., organic) products whenever possible.

Special Equipment – a well-greased (or vegetable-sprayed) 9- x 13-inch pan

Making the crust – Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk together the sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and lemon zest. Then, using your fingers, a fork, or a food-processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs, as shown above. Stir in the beaten egg.

Forming the bottom crust – Turn half the crumbly mix into the greased pan, and pat it down with your fingers to coat the entire bottom of the pan.

The berries – In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Then stir in the lemon juice. Add the blueberries, and gently move them about with a rubber spatula until all are coated with the sugar solution.

Finishing the bars -Spread the berry mixture over the bottom crust.

Then sprinkle with the remaining crust. Bake on the lower-middle rack of the preheated 375F oven for 45 minutes, or until the top crust just begins to color. Don’t let the top crust  brown all over, as this will indicate the bottom crust has (probably) burned.I speak from experience here.

Allow the pan to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Then place a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut into rectangles, and serve cold or at room-temperature.

Need a copy-and-paste version of this delicious dessert? Here goes:

Blueberry Bars
Ingredients for about 24 1-inch x 2-inch bars

The crust:
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 lemon
8 oz cold, unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1 egg, beaten

The berry mixture:
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp cornstarch
Juice of 1 lemon
4 cups fresh blueberries

Special Equipment – a well-greased (or vegetable-sprayed) 9- x 13-inch pan

Making the crust – Preheat oven to 375F. Whisk together the sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and lemon zest. Then using your fingers or a pastry-cutter, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. (To save time, you can pour the ingredients into a food processor, as I did, and pulse the butter into the mixture). Stir in the beaten egg.

Forming the bottom crust – Turn half the crumbly mix into the greased pan, and pat it down with your fingers to coat the entire bottom of the pan.

The berries – In another bowl, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch. Then stir in the lemon juice. Add the blueberries, and gently move them about with a rubber spatula until all are coated with the sugar solution.

Finishing the bars – Spread the berry mixture over the bottom crust. Then sprinkle with the remaining crust. Bake on the lower-middle rack of the preheated 375F oven for 45 minutes, or until the top crust just begins to color. Don’t let the top crust brown all over, as this will indicate the bottom crust has (probably) burned. (I speak from experience here.)

Allow the pan to cool for 30 minutes on a wire rack. Then place a sheet of plastic wrap over the pan, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Cut into rectangles, and serve cold or at room-temperature.

Think you’ll try these rectangles of sweet, lemon-infused blueberries? You can let me know by leaving a comment.

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Comments

  2. 2

    Rebecca says

    What do you think about using frozen blueberries? Would they make a mushy bar?

  3. 3

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Rebecca – You can use frozen blueberries for these bars. They might break up a little more than fresh during baking, but who cares? The bars will still be berry-licious.

  4. 4

    Brenda Johnson says

    Oh Kevin… I tasted the love in these! (especially when you dashed over to the store in this heat to hand deliver them!) They are SO yummy! Moist blueberry buttery goodness…. great for tea time, a lovely lunch dessert- or just plain old lunch! (That’s how I enjoyed them!!!*guilty giggle*)

  5. 5

    jo says

    Do you have fresh from the orchard blueberries already in the east?
    Ours aren’t ready until mid july here in the PNW.

  6. 6

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Brenda – Thanks so much for taste-testing! Your guilty giggle can only be matched by my guilty jiggle.

    Jo – Early blueberries (mostly from New Jersey) are available on the east coast starting in mid-June.

    And might I add…you who live in the PNW can use huckleberries — which are even better than blueberries — for these bars.

  7. 7

    Darlene says

    Wish I could reach through my computer monitor and grab that blueberry bar! I plan to make a batch this weekend. Thanks for the good directions.

  8. 8

    Donna B. says

    Another reason that I need to grow blueberries… UNNGHH! These looks gorgeous! And I’m a sucker for anything with a crumble… [the way to my heart is a good coffee crumb cake… hehe]
    I agree, this heat has been so bad! My house is old-ish [built in the 1920’s] and doesn’t do well with A/C. We finally had to resort to putting in the window units for the sake of our poor pups. I will wait for better weather to bake these! Or… at night. Haha!

  9. 9

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Darlene – If you make these, I hope you’ll let me know how they turned out for you.

    Donna B. – How dogs must suffer in this heat! I know Lily the Beagle wasn’t happy. Thank heavens there’s A/C in the bedroom.

  10. 10

    Heather schlerf says

    Made a batch today for a garden tour tea party. I hope they are a hit. It was the easiest recipe ever even with the temps reaching the mid 90’s today. Thanks Kevin – I wonder if peaches or other fruits would work? Have you tried anything else?

  11. 11

    Rebecca says

    I made these today and we’ve already eaten half of them (there’s only me and my husband)! Hard to stay away from them. I used frozen blueberries, also whole wheat flour and sucanat so they are a bit darker than yours are. When I make them again I’ll use a little less flour since the whole wheat is heavier than white flour. Also, I baked them for only 35 minutes, again because of the flour I used. Thanks for the recipe. Here in north east Texas it was in the upper 90’s but thankfully we have air conditioning.

  12. 12

    Jerry in Sealy says

    Thanks for the cut and paste version! Taking the Blueberrys out of the freezer before going to church, then fixing this for Sunday dessert! Yummy looking, I will let you know how it turns out.

  13. 13

    kelli says

    Love the recipe! Sounds delicious I think I will try maing these with my daughter tmorrow. What is lemon zest?

  17. 17

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Heather – I’ll bet you could use other fruit besides blueberries. Cranberries with orange zest and juice is one idea…

    Rebecca – So glad you liked the bars. And don’t feel bad — out of 36 bars, I ate 32. The rest went to Brenda Johnson, my taste-tester!

    Jerry – Enjoy!

    Kelli – lemon zest is the grated peel.

    Pepper – So glad you enjoy A Garden for the House.

    ellen – You can use whatever cornstarch you like. I prefer to use non-genetically-modified products whenever possible.

    Jena – Thank you for the sweet-as-a-blueberry-bar comment!

  18. 18

    ksantoro says

    We’re rarely without blueberries in the house while they’re in season. Will be trying this recipe tomorrow!

  19. 19

    Jean says

    Oh how yummy looking! Thanks for the milk-free recipe. It’s so difficult to find a cake-like recipe without milk. I’m looking forward to trying it.

  20. 20

    Paula says

    I’m going to try these with Huckle berries. They are ripe here in Sept. some late Aug on the Mendocino/Fort Bragg coastline in Northern CA. Sounds and looks very yummy!

  21. 21

    Christine Zipps says

    Greetings!

    I so enjoy receiving your blog/newsletter tips and have shared many of them on my page (link above) — I’m a natural wellness researcher/writer and share you concerns over GMO’s (your reference to non-GMO cornstarch and organic in this recipe). However, your using “sugar” suggests plain white sugar. If it’s not specified as “cane sugar”, it is likely from GMO-beets. I would suggest a less toxic alternative like organic coconut palm sugar and/or organic, raw, local honey. I plan to try this recipe but will make that substitution as well as using vegan, Earth Balance “butter” and vegan Egg Replacer instead of egg. Love the combo of blueberries and lemon — in fact, we had vegan, organic, corn (with GMO-free, organic corn meal) and blueberry pancakes for Sunday breakfast. Thanks for all you do – if you’ve a moment to visit my page, would be honored if you deem it worthy of your LIKE! 😉

  22. 22

    Deb says

    Did you grow your own blueberries, if so do you are a variety you recommend? I have one O’Neal blueberry bush and am considering adding additional bushes and would love any recommendations for other varieties. Lovely looking recipe, I will certainly give it a try. Thank you for sharing it.

  23. 23

    Molly Drewes says

    This looks like an awesome recipe. I cannot wait to try them. Hopefully, this oppressive heat will finally push out to sea tomorrow and I can put the oven on.
    Thanks for the recipe. Love all things blueberry!!!!!

  24. 24

    Rosemarie says

    Love the way these sound and look — will make soon
    What about using frozen (by me – whole) fresh strawberries
    Just found a plethora in my freezer –
    Think they’d work? Maybe not as well – but maybe?
    Will do the blueberry ones tomorrow though – have those ready to roll!
    Thanks for this site – just discovered it last Sunday and have waited all week for this one!

  25. 25

    Linda Stone says

    I will make this recipe this coming week. Will add a dusting of Saigon cinnamon because it goes so beautifully with blueberries & lemon. Thank you for the great photos–they really help to see how things should get put together.

  26. 26

    Antoniette says

    These look to-die-for! I have yet to master growing my own blueberries here in NJ, but I will eventually! I definately will be trying this for sure. I may have to make a second version with some cinnamon, as now that it’s blueberry season, I’m going to be making spiced blueberry jam. Wonder if you still use the lemon juice in the bars then?

    I could just imagine how fabulous these would be with tea!

  27. 27

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    ksantoro – Good for you! Blueberries are delicious in so many ways, including out-of-hand!

    Jean – Yes, except for the butter, the bars are milk-free!

    Paula – Go ahead and use huckleberries as an excellent — and possibly superior — sub for blueberries.

    Christine – Done!

    Deb – My blueberries are early-season ‘Blue Jay,’ mid-season ‘Blue Ray,’ and a late-season variety whose name I can’t recall. But unless I cover the shrubs with netting, the robins and chipmunks steal them all. Hence the blueberries I used for the recipe above came from my local farm store, who purchased them from a grower in New Jersey.

    Molly Drewes – Hope your heatwave breaks, as it has here — today’s high in the upper 60s.

    Rosemarie – I would not hesitate to try this recipe with frozen strawberries. They will break down considerably, but I suspect the bars will still be marvelous.

    Linda – If you try these with Saigon cinnamon, let me know they work out for you.

    Antoniette – Just what I was thinking…the bars would be perfect with afternoon tea!

  29. 29

    Shera VanGoor says

    Blueberries are just getting started here in Michigan. I will definately be making these for several family get togethers in the next few weeks. Thanks for the recipe, Kevin!

  31. 31

    Fran says

    THese Blueberry Bars are exquisite! I don’t consider myself much of a baker, but these turned out impeccably….SO YUMMY!!! I did substitute Whole Wheat Flour and Raw Brown Sugar for the white, and cooked it for 40 minutes! THanks for making me look good with my family and friends. But seriously, these are just delicious for this time of year using the fresh NJ blueberries. It’s a burst of lemony blueberry moist yet crumbly delight in every bite!

  33. 33

    Deb says

    Incredible! I brought them to a party and everyone wanted the recipe – couldn’t resist giving sharing your website instead. I’m not hazarding a guess as to what they’ll like best – these wonderful blueberry bars or the wealth of friendly information on your site!

    Thanks Kevin!!

  34. 34

    Dale Young says

    Amazing Information on your site, Kevin,

    Getting back to the Basics. In all parts of Life. All so Simple!

    So,… I MADE THE BLUEBERRY BARS, and got to tell you…

    LOVE the lemon and blueberry combo! It is so GREAT together! AMAZING

  35. 35

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Deb – Thanks so much for passing along this site to your friends. So glad you liked the blueberry bars. I’m hooked on them.

    Dale Young – Well, that is music to my ears! Thank you.

  36. 36

    Sharon says

    Yikes, don’t see my original post but had to say we LOVED this recipe. I did use white wheat flour (may sneak in whole wheat next time). Have to make up for the TWO sticks of butter, lol. But seriously this recipe rocked! Made them last night and there is not a bite left! I may try it w/peaches later in the season. Thanks for the great recipe and love your site!

  37. 37

    Ellen says

    Friends and family LOVED the blueberry bars! Based on your caution, I baked them in a nonstick metal pan for just 40 (not 45) minutes. Nice color on top and bottom. Great with a small dab of vanilla ice cream.

  38. 38

    MarteyC says

    YUM!!! I made them with our homegrown blueberries and they’re delicious. So many of my blueberry recipes aren’t suitable for meetings, but these are portable and easy (too easy!) to eat out of hand. I substituted half whole wheat pastry flour for half of the white, and used a pinch of Penzey’s cinnamon in the crust and in the berries. Organic sugar, local eggs, homegrown berries, it’s all good! Thanks!

  39. 39

    Deb says

    Absolutely fantastic. This goes in “the book” (my collection of recipes that become staples in my repertoire).

    Thanks so much.

  40. 40

    Ellie says

    I’ve made these 3 times and they are always a huge hit. The most difficult part was stirring in the egg without over mixing (didn’t want to end up with tough crust). Any hints?

  41. 41

    Amy Simonson says

    That looks heavenly! We picked 3 gallons (yes, gallons!) of blueberries this weekend so I know what I’m making tomorrow! Thanks for another great recipe.

  42. 42

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Ellie – After the beaten egg has been added, give the crumbly dough a quick stir with a fork. When you can no longer see any yolk, you’ll know the egg has been adequately incorporated, and without over-mixing.

  43. 43

    MarteyC says

    I just pulsed the egg in in the food processor, lazy, but it worked and didn’t dirty another bowl. 🙂

  44. 44

    SherryW says

    Made these for a Master Gardeners get together. Everyone was crazy about these blueberry bars. Lots of requests for the recipe–gave me an opportunity to send more friends your newsletter.
    Keven–this desert is wonderfully delicious–many thanks for sharing with all of us.

  46. 46

    Debbie K says

    Kevin, Thanks for the recipe. I made it for my son and his girlfriend when they came home for a visit and they loved them. We even aten them for breakfast the next day!

  47. 47

    Deana Godek says

    My 3 year old just looked at this photo and said I want to eat that! I guess I will be making these tomorrow :O)

  48. 48

    Gladys Gilbert says

    Greetings from the Pacific Northwest. My blueberry bushes didn’t yield many berries this year, but I did manage to pick four cups, enough to make these blueberry bars. Oh, like, yummy!

  50. 50

    Nicole says

    I made these for my husband and in-laws over the weekend. I didn’t have enough blueberries so I added in a few blackberries and raspberries to make up the difference. They were a huge hit — thank you!

  52. 52

    Mary says

    Hi Kevin,

    I enjoy your magazine sooo much! It’s a Sunday favorite, hands down.

    My question is this: For gluten intolerant folks (that’s me)….could almond flour be substituted for wheat flour in the blueberry bars? They look scrumptious (as do all your recipes!)

    Thank you for sharing.

  53. 53

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Mary – I can’t say for certain, but I suspect that almond flour would work very well for this recipe. If you try it, I hope you’ll let me know how it turns out for you.

  54. 54

    Jeneta says

    I have made these a number of times now (and shared your link to the recipe with others!) and they have been so well received every time!

  58. 58

    Sandra says

    Sounds like a wonderful and easy recipe. I have an abundance of blackberries this year and plan on trying this with them.

  59. 59

    SandraG says

    Made the blueberry bars this weekend. However, I used 2 cups blueberries and 2 cups of blackberries from my garden. They were a hit. Will definately make this recipe again.

  61. 61

    Joan says

    When i bake something new i always ask my family “is this a keeper”? Just baked these and it is definitely a”keeper” recipe. I have a lot of blueberries from last year in the freezer so I am always looking for good recipes. I enjoy your site and please keep the wonderful recipes come……..

  64. 64

    Elena says

    I picked and froze 12 quarts of blackberries last fall, and this recipe looks perfect to use some of them up with. Thanks!

  65. 65

    regi says

    I think I bookmark just about all of your recipes – gonna make my day with this one.

  66. 66

    Ellen Long says

    Kevin my daughter in law is unable to eat cornstarch so substitute with arrowroot. Will this work in this recipe? I so enjoy your message each week. Thanks

  68. 68

    Lois Miller-Martone says

    I have these in the oven for dessert this evening. Smells SO good in my house right now!! Thanks!

  69. 69

    Pam says

    I made these when we had picked some blueberries. Scrumptious! Now we have an ovedrflow of blackberries, which also work well. What abundance there is in summertime.

  70. 70

    Sharon says

    Dag, I was out of blueberries, but at our local produce market today and bought a huge basket of mostly peach, plum and asian pear seconds. The peaches are perfectly ripe and ready to go, so I’m going to attempt this with them and add the few leftover blueberries along with it. Wish me luck. I’ll let you all know how it turns out!

  73. 73

    Joni D. says

    Another wonderful recipe!! Thank you! With all of the rain we are having – I can’t weed, but I sure can bake!!

  74. 74

    Brandon says

    I made the blueberry bars for my daughter’s eighth birthday tea party and they turned out fabulous! I intended to make the tarts too but my wife gave that duty to my mother in law who bought lemon curd and sugar cookie dough to make them. They still turned out pretty tasty though I’m sure your recipe would have been better. Thanks for the wonderful tips and recipes! Keep up the great work!

  75. 75

    Tana says

    Dumb question, Kevin. If I were to use frozen berries, would I need to thaw them first or keep them frozen??

    I sooo look forward to your post each week. It makes my day complete (along with church, of course). Even if the article isn’t something that I plan to do or make, I generally read everything you write because I love your wit, wisdom and humor.

    Keep up the good work :o)

  77. 77

    Diana says

    Love the blueberry bars. They taste like the old fashioned cobbler my mom use to make. I always requested it for my birthday. I will share on my blog with a link back to you. Love your blog and
    pictures, thanks.
    Diana

  78. 78

    Julee says

    Looking forward to trying these with home-made lemon ice cream! Your recipes and presentation are wonderful. Looking forward to your book.

  80. 80

    Mel says

    We love these and have made them for a few years now. Noticed your link to the new and improved version is broken?

  81. 81

    Victoria says

    I just made these and they are delicious, thank you for the recipe. Does anyone know if they freeze well? I probably shouldn’t eat them all at once! The link to the newer recipe doesn’t work by the way so not sure what the new version is like.

  82. 82

    Kevin Lee Jacobs says

    Hi Victoria – Link is fixed now. New version is more detailed. Plus, it contains a printable recipe. I suspect the bars will freeze perfectly well. So glad you enjoy them!

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