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Strawberry Shortcake Bars

Strawberry shortcake bars with creamy filling and crumbly buttery topping.

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These bars capture the cozy nostalgia of classic strawberry shortcake in a convenient, shareable form. A crumbly, buttery shortcake base is layered with juicy, sweet strawberry filling and topped with a golden crumble. They are the ultimate easy summer dessert perfect for any gathering.

Ingredients

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  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan or line with parchment paper.
  2. Make the strawberry filling: In a medium bowl, gently toss sliced strawberries with 1/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and 1 tsp vanilla. Set aside to macerate.
  3. Make the crust and topping: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Using a pastry cutter, forks, or fingertips, work the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbs.
  5. Stir in the lightly beaten egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract just until the mixture clumps together. Do not overmix.
  6. Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
  7. Pour the strawberry mixture and all its juices evenly over the pressed crust.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the strawberry layer. Do not press down.
  9. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly at the edges.
  10. Let the pan cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into bars.

Notes

For best results, use cold butter and do not overmix the dough. Let the bars cool completely before slicing to allow the filling to set. Can be made gluten-free with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Frozen strawberries can be used; do not thaw before mixing with cornstarch and sugar.

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