Roasted. Blueberries. Need I say more? Fine, I’ll say more. These Roasted Blueberry Oat Bars are about to rock you, sock you, pick you up and drop you (I’ll never stop living in the 90s). I mean, they’ll knock you out.
In a culinary sense, that is.
The first time I ever roasted blueberries was when I decided to be the uber-ambitious first-time mom who made all of her baby’s food from scratch and packed it with veggies and fruits and all of the healthiest things so he would totally never ever ever ever be picky like the PRECIOUS LITTLE ANGEL THAT HE IS.
Ha.
From the day he learned to feed himself, the kid refused to conform and sent my dreams straight down the toilet. Sorry for the visual.
But, I digress.
Roasted bluebs are where. it’s. at.
Roasting blueberries until they’re plump and bursting makes them oh-so-sweet and just brings out the most decadent, deep flavor. Add some cinnamon and sea salt to the mix and you’ve got yourself a certifiable feast for the senses.
How to Roast Blueberries
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- In a medium sized bowl, toss your blueberries in some lemon juice. About half a lemon is good.
- Spread your blueberries out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet.
- Sprinkle with cinnamon & sea salt.
- Place in the oven and roast for 18-20 minutes until the blueberries are plump and bursting.
Once you’ve got your blueberries all roasted, you can do lots with them.
-Eat them atop some lemon ricotta toast for breakfast. Heaven, here I come.
-Add a little zest to some whipped goat cheese and blueberry balsamic crostini for a crowd. O.M.G. great idea.
-Switch up the filling for some mini blueberry galettes. Wow, you’re so clever!
Orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
You can make some freaking delicious Roasted Blueberry Oat Bars to eat all week long.
How to Make Blueberry Oat Bars
Reduce your oven’s heat to 350 degrees.
Line a square or rectangle cake pan with parchment. I used an obscure 8×10 pan that I got at a thrift store but a 9×9 or even 9×13 (if you want a thinner bar) would be fine.
Make the Oat Shortbread Crust
In a food processor or blender, pulse 2/3 cup of oats until finely ground. Set aside.
In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together 1.5 sticks of softened butter, 2 packed tablespoons of brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of white sugar.
Add 1 egg yolk, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp vanilla extract and beat until combined.
Gradually add 1 cup of flour and the ground oats until just combined and your shortbread is moist, but crumbly.
Using your hands, press the dough into the bottom of your lined pan.
How to Make Blueberry Filling
Place your roasted blueberries in a bowl and smash them a bit using a fork or potato masher to bring out the juices a little more.
Mix in 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and 1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch, which will thicken the blueberry filling while your bars are baking.
Spoon the blueberry filling over the oat shortbread crust and spread to an even consistency.
Finally, Make a Quick Oat Streusel Topping
Using a fork or your hands, combine 1/2 a stick of softened butter, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of flour, and 1/2 cup of oats until crumbly.
Sprinkle the streusel over the top of the blueberry filling and bake at 350 for 30 minutes until the streusel is lightly browned and the blueberry filling is bubbly.
And get to eatin’.
If you try these Roasted Blueberry Oat Bars, please let me know how the recipe worked out for you in the comments!
Roasted Blueberry Oat Bars
Ingredients
For the Roasted Blueberry Filling
- 1 pint (8 oz) of fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, separated
- 1/2 tbsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
For the Shortbread Crust
- 2/3 cup oats
- 1.5 sticks butter, softened
- 2 packed tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp white sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
For the Streusel Topping
- 1/2 stick butter, softened
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1/2 cup oats
Instructions
To Roast the Blueberries:
- Heat your oven to 400 degrees.
- In a bowl, toss the blueberries in 1 tbsp of lemon juice.
- Arrange the blueberries in a single layer on your prepared sheet pan and place in the oven.
- Cook for 20 minutes until blueberries are plump and starting to burst.
To Make the Shortbread Crust:
- Line a 9×9 cake pan with parchment.
- In a food processor or blender, pulse the oats until they are finely ground. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add the egg yolk, salt, and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Gradually add the flour and oats until the mixture is crumbly, but moist.
- Press the dough into the bottom of your prepared pan and set aside.
For the Filling:
- Place the roasted blueberries in a bowl and add the other 1 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp sugar, and 1/2 tbsp cornstarch.
- Mash together with a fork to combine. Give the mixture a quick stir to equally distribute the cornstarch.
- Spoon the blueberry mixture over the shortbread crust and spread evenly to the edge of the pan.
To Make the Streusel Topping:
- Using a fork, combine the 1/2 stick softened butter, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp flour, and 1/2 cup oats in a bowl until crumbly.
- Sprinkle the mixture over the blueberry filling in an even layer.
- Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, until the streusel topping is golden brown and the blueberry filling is bubbly.
- Cut into squares and serve when cooled.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 317mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 8gProtein: 3g
This looks amazing!!
Thank you! It’s so yummy!
I’m excited to make this! My mom and I decided that we should make three small ones with blueberries, blackberries, and combined.
Yes! That sounds so good – I’ve never tried roasting blackberries! Let me know if you try it. 🙂