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Strawberry Shortcake Bars
Tender, buttery Strawberry Shortcake Bars have a shortbread crust that also forms the crumb topping with a juicy fresh strawberry filling and vanilla glaze. These are unbelievably easy to make with few simple ingredients and they are SO delicious! This is a perfect Spring and Summer recipe!
Ingredients
Crust and crumb:
- 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon (45g) packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (170g) salted butter, melted (or add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter)
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
Strawberry filling:
- 3 cups (400g) chopped fresh strawberries (cut each strawberry into quarters then half each quarter so you get 8 little pieces from each strawberry)
- 2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g) all-purpose flour
Glaze:
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) light or heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang at each side.
- Make the crust and the crumb topping. Combine flour, both sugars and salt (if you’re using unsalted butter) in a medium bowl and mix to blend evenly so that there are no lumps of brown sugar. Add melted butter and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until evenly combined, then toss with your fingertips to form large crumbs. Press about two-thirds of this mixture into the prepared pan in an even layer. Use floured hands so that it doesn’t stick and then smooth it over with an offset spatula. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden then set aside to cool slightly.
- Make the strawberry filling. Combine chopped strawberries, sugar and flour in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Spoon it over the cooled crust in an even layer. Crumble the remaining crust mixture on top so it is evenly dispersed over the strawberries. You won’t cover the strawberries completely – you’ll still see them poking through. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the juices are bubbling and the shortbread crumb topping is golden. Set aside to cool completely in the pan.
- Make the glaze. Combine powdered sugar, cream and vanilla in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Drizzle it over the cooled bars, slice and serve!
