Desserts

April 19, 2021

Healthy Sugar Free Strawberry Crumble Bars

Naturally sweetened with Stevia, honey, and strawberry jam, these Healthy Sugar Free Strawberry Crumble Bars are the perfect summertime treat! Each bar is gluten free and has 4g of plant-based protein.

Utah has a funny way of teasing its residents about the seasons. Some years we get snow in September, other years the flowers bloom in March and the cold weather disappears.

Well, this last month has had a glimpse of all four seasons! We had a week of sunshine and high 60s, followed by a Sunday of 30° and snow, then a week of windy rain and dark thunder clouds. My husband jokes that Mother Nature is giving us whiplash...

All joking aside, things are starting to look and feel warm now. I only need a light jacket when I go to the gym in the morning and I can get by with jeans and a T-shirt!

So, to celebrate the beginning of spring, the rise of warmer weather, and an influx of fresh fruits, I thought these Strawberry Crumble Bars would be the perfect recipe for today!

Made with homemade strawberry jam, rolled oats, and a few exciting [non-traditional] ingredients, each bite is a little bit sweet, a little crispy, and a whole lotta crumbly! These Strawberry Crumb Bars are one of my favorite summertime snacks for sure!

Strawberry Crumble Bars on parchment paper

Ingredients you'll need

  • Rolled oats: for that iconic, rustic crunch we all know and love in a good crumble. I use old-fashioned oats, but if you have quick oats, those will work too. Just know I haven't tested the recipe with quick oats!
  • Oat flour: a basic ingredient for the crumble, but healthier and gluten-free. You can purchase oat flour from your local grocery store, here on Amazon, or make your own by grinding rolled oats in a food processor until you have a fine flour.
  • Vanilla protein powder: helps thicken the crumble while adding a boost of protein. Feel free to use any brand you like! This brand is my favorite.
  • Quinoa: non-traditional for a crumble crust, but I promise you'd never know it was there. Quinoa adds another boost of plant-based protein and a soft texture amidst the crunchy crumble.
  • Stevia: a natural, plant-based replacement for white granulated sugar without the calories or added sugar. You can't taste the difference! Grab a bag at your local Walmart or here on Amazon.
  • Country Crock butter: my go-to brand of butter (unsponsored). I love their 8% calcium tub butter for simple baking like these Strawberry Crumb Bars!
  • Raw honey: for a touch of sweetness and a sticky "glue" to form the crumble.
  • Strawberry Chia Jam: I honestly wrote this recipe just to use my favorite homemade Strawberry Chia Jam! It's naturally sweetened with honey and requires no pectin to make! Basically, it's wonderful and there are so many ways to use it. You can find the recipe here!

strawberry crumble bars made with oats and strawberry jam

How to make sugar free strawberry crumble bars

Before starting your Strawberry Crumble Bars, make sure you've prepared the Strawberry Chia Jam! You can grab the full recipe here on the blog.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, oat flour, quinoa, protein powder, Stevia, and cinnamon until combined.

Use a fork to cut in the butter and honey until a crumble/crisp mixture forms. You can also use your hands to squish the dry and wet ingredients together like wet sand.

Measure out 1½ cups of the crumble mixture and press into the prepared pan in an even layer, packing tightly.

Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.

Spread the Strawberry Chia Jam in an even layer over the pre-baked crumble, then top with remaining crumble and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the crumble has crisped up.

Allow the Strawberry Crumble Bars to cool completely in the pan before serving. Store on the counter (sealed) for up to 2 days or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

A healthy strawberry crumble bar with a bite out of it

Why you'll love these strawberry bars

  1. They're easy to make: just like your basic chocolate chip cookie recipe, mix the wet ingredients together, whisk the dry ingredients together, then combine. The only difference here is we're layering the crumb layer and the jam in a baking pan!
  2. They're made with wholesome ingredients: this means you know exactly what's in your Strawberry Crumble Bars and you can enjoy every bite #guiltfree !
  3. They're naturally gluten-free: gluten spikes your blood sugar faster and increases overall inflammation throughout your body. These Strawberry Crumb Bars are gluten-free, which means you're still getting the healthy carbohydrates you need while managing your glucose levels.
  4. They're naturally refined sugar-free: regular sugar also causes inflammation, just like refined gluten. Using natural sources of sugar like fresh fruit, raw honey, and Stevia ensure your body is getting the right kind of sugar - the kind with fewer calories, a lower glycemic index (GI), and less inflammation.
  5. They're macro-friendly: I made sure there was a balance between the carbohydrates, fats, and protein in these Strawberry Crumb Bars so you can stay on track with your health goals and still enjoy a delicious treat!

More healthy baking recipes

Healthy Mint Chocolate Protein Donuts

Easy Homemade Birthday Cake Ice Cream Sandwiches

Healthy Dark Chocolate Strawberry Muffins

Fudgy Triple Chocolate Banana Bread

Healthy Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

The Best Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

A stack of healthy strawberry crumble bars

I am SO excited to see you guys try these Strawberry Crumble Bars! They are the perfect way to welcome the warmer weather and treat yourself to a good, wholesome snack!

Be sure to leave a star rating and review below if you make my Strawberry Crumb Bars! It helps other readers know how you liked the recipe and tells Google to share it with others. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see you enjoying your treat.

Naturally sweetened with Stevia, honey, and strawberry jam, these Healthy Sugar Free Strawberry Crumble Bars are the perfect summertime treat! Each bar is gluten free and has 4g of plant-based protein.

Author:

Brooke Harmer

Prep:

15

min

cook:

45

min

total:

60

min

servings:

9

Ingredients

  • 1¼ C rolled oats
  • ½ C oat flour*
  • ¼ C cooked quinoa
  • ¼ C vanilla protein powder (or equal parts oat flour and Stevia)
  • ½ C Stevia
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 4 Tbsp Country Crock 8% Butter Spread
  • 1 Tbsp honey
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 1 C Strawberry Chia Jam (or store-bought strawberry jam)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8x8 baking pan with greased parchment paper.
  2. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, oat flour, quinoa, protein powder, Stevia, and cinnamon until combined. Use a fork to cut in the butter and honey until a crumble/crisp mixture forms.
  3. Measure out 1½ cups of the crumble mixture and press into the prepared pan in an even layer, packing tightly. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  4. Spread the Strawberry Chia Jam in an even layer over the pre-baked crumble, then top with remaining crumble and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until the crumble has crisped up.
  5. Allow the Strawberry Crumble Bars to cool completely in the pan before serving. Store on the counter (sealed) for up to 2 days or in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Notes

*See blog post for details on making homemade oat flour.

Nutrition facts are a calculated estimate of 1/9 of the pan using the homemade Strawberry Chia Jam.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar / Calories: 128 / Fat: 4.4g / Saturated Fat: 0.7g / Carbohydrates: 18.8g / Fiber: 2.6g / Sugar: 5.1g / Protein: 4.4g