The taste of summer! A fresh berry filling, sweetened with jam to intensify the fruity flavours, oozes between layers of buttery, oaty, crumbly goodness. These berry bars make the perfect snack or dessert. Pack them on your next picnic or serve them after a summer grilling meal with a scoop of ice cream for a delightful finish that will leave you smiling and smacking your lips.

vertical - berry bar on a blue and white plate with the pan of squares behind

It's berry season! Gardens, fruit stands, markets, and grocery stores are bursting with stacks of jewel-coloured berry baskets. Our haskap berries are already finished, the strawberry patch produced bowls of lovely sweet little strawberries and the raspberry bushes are loaded with juicy berries right now. We've been picking saskatoon berries and I've been busy making jam and juice from them.

colander of fresh strawberries beside strawberry plants outside. — our strawberries were small but oh-so-sweet this year

If you fondly remember those old-fashioned date bars (a.k.a. matrimonial bars), you'll love this lightened-up fruity version. Use fresh or frozen berries: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries (or even rhubarb or other fruits) sweetened with berry jam instead of sugar to amp up the flavour. It's a berry explosion in your mouth! The crumbly oat layers hold together just enough to make these tasty bars convenient to serve in smaller squares for tasty snacks, or cut them a bit larger and serve them as an easy summer dessert with a scoop of ice cream on the side.

three jammy berry bars on a plate with some strawberries.

These bars have become our new summer baking staple. It seems like I'm making a new batch almost every week and we are devouring them. If your sour cherry trees are producing, you might like this version, Evans Cherry Ginger Oat Crumble Bars, too.

Other Berry-licious Treats

If you've got an abundance of berries, why not try some of these tasty berry recipes?

Or if you have extra jam to use up, these Easy Jam Tarts are sensational.

Which Fruits or Berries Work for These Bars?

Any berries will be fantastic, but you can also use other fruits. Match the fruits to the jam for an extra intense burst of flavour, or mix them with complementary jams for a fruit salad effect. For example, to match them use cut-up strawberries and strawberry jam, blueberries and blueberry jam . . . . you get the picture.

top down view of strawberries in a white colander. — I used strawberries with strawberry jam for these bars, but I've made lots of other combinations of fruit or berries and jams and they've all been extra delicious!

To mix them, get creative: try sliced rhubarb with strawberry jam, diced peaches with blueberry jam, raspberries with currant jelly . . . let your imagination (and what's in your pantry) be your guide.

Note: If using saskatoon berries (which are a little firmer and drier) add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice plus 4 tablespoons/1/4 cup water. If you're using particularly juicy berries (like blackberries or raspberries) increase the cornstarch to 2 tablespoons.

Easy Peasy Jammy Berry Bars

First, cook up the fruity berry filling so it can cool slightly while you make the oat crumble. Use fresh or frozen berries and the jam of your choice. Toss with a bit of cornstarch and a dash of lemon juice to bring out the flavours. Cook it just til it thickens, then let it cool slightly.

filling collage, on the left are the ingredients in the saucepan, on the right is the cooked strawberry filling. — I used strawberries, but you can use another fruit or berry with a different kind of jam, whatever you like

Then, mix together the rolled oats, flour, butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of cinnamon with a mixer until crumbly.

Pack half of the mixture into a small square baking pan.

Spread on that luscious fruit filling.

Crumble on the remaining oat topping, and press it down gently to even out the top.

Collage of stages for layering the squares in the pan. — 1. press half the oat crumbles into the pan 2. pour over the filling 3. spread on the remaining crumbles 4. press the crumbles down lightly - ready for the oven

Bake until the filling bubbles up around the edges and the oaty mixture becomes golden brown.

Let cool, cut into squares, and enjoy!

These Berry Bars are sooooo good - fruity and jammy, buttery and oaty. You'll be glad you tried them. And the best thing is, you can make a new version every week with whatever's in season and in the pantry!

jammy berry bar on a blue and white plate with a scoop of ice cream and a fork beside.

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Jammy Berry Bars

Other Berry-licious Treats

Which Fruits or Berries Work for These Bars?

Easy Peasy Jammy Berry Bars

Jammy Berry Squares

Ingredients

for the berry filling:

for the crust and crumble layer:

Instructions

make the berry filling:

make the crust and crumble topping:

Notes

Other Berry-licious Treats

Which Fruits or Berries Work for These Bars?

Easy Peasy Jammy Berry Bars

Jammy Berry Squares

Ingredients

for the berry filling:

for the crust and crumble layer:

Instructions

make the berry filling:

make the crust and crumble topping:

Notes

Reader Interactions

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