Strawberry Bars

I've been making these jam bars over and over again since early spring. The minute the weather starts warming up I start craving fruity desserts! Pineapple upside-down cake, lemon meringue pie, peach cobbler... you name it, I just can't get enough!

And these bars are no different. There's just something about the contrast of buttery, crumbly shortbread and sweet strawberries! It calls to me. Give these a try, and you'll see what I mean.

Here's Why You'll Love This Recipe

• You only need basic pantry ingredients for these strawberry bars, and they take about an hour to make.
• The shortbread crust is rich and buttery, and the crumb topping adds a nice texture to the bars.
• The strawberry jam layer makes the bars sweet and fruity, and you do not need to cook fresh berries.
• These bars work well for breakfast, brunch, dessert, or as a snack.
• You can easily customize them with other jams, citrus zest, nuts, or spices.

Ingredients You'll Need

The recipe card at the bottom of the post contains the full list with all of the amounts. Refer to that when you're cooking.

For the Shortbread Crust

• All-purpose flour: Gives the crust structure and helps create that classic tender shortbread texture.
• Powdered sugar: Sweetens the crust while keeping it soft and delicate.
• Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness and brings out the buttery flavor.
• Unsalted butter: Use cold butter so it can be cut into the dry ingredients, creating a crumbly mixture that bakes into a rich shortbread base.

For the Strawberry Filling

• Strawberry jam: This is the sweet, fruity center of the bars. Use your favorite store-bought or homemade jam. Add more if you want a thicker layer of fruit.

For the Crumb Topping

• Unsalted butter: Melted butter helps the crumb topping come together quickly and adds rich flavor.
• All-purpose flour: Forms the base of the crumble and helps the topping bake up tender and crumbly.
• Granulated sugar: Sweetens the topping and helps it turn a light golden color.
• Old-fashioned oats: Add texture and a rustic, chewy bite. Avoid instant oats, which can become too soft.
• Lemon zest: This brightens the strawberry flavor and adds freshness.
• Kosher salt: Keeps the topping from tasting too sweet.
• Powdered sugar: Optional, but a dusting on top makes the bars look nice.

Helpful Tips and Tricks

• Use cold butter for the shortbread crust. It helps make the crust tender and crumbly.
• Do not skip the par-bake. It keeps the bottom crust from becoming soggy under the jam.
• Let the bars cool before cutting. If the jam is still warm, it will be too soft and messy.
• Line your pan with parchment paper so you can lift out the bars before slicing.
• Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts for neat squares.

Easy Recipe Variations

• You can use raspberry, blueberry, apricot, blackberry, or peach jam instead of strawberry.
• Add a pinch of cinnamon to the crumb topping for extra warmth.
• Mix in chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the topping for more crunch.
• Try orange zest instead of lemon zest for a sweeter citrus flavor.
• For more fruit texture, add a thin layer of sliced strawberries over the jam.

Recipe FAQ

Can these be made gluten-free?

I have not tested it a gluten-free version myself, so I can't guarantee the results, but if you'd like to try making a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour blend that subs 1:1 for regular flour.

Here are a few good options:

• King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour
• Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
• Cup4Cup Multi-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour

I'd love to hear about your results! Drop a comment below; I'm sure it will be helpful to other readers.

And if you'd like to make this dairy-free and vegan, use a dairy-free butter product that subs 1:1 for regular dairy.

Can you use fresh strawberries?

I've tried adding fresh sliced strawberries to the filling, and while it looks gorgeous and tastes incredible, it will make the bars a little soggy. Personally, I would leave them out.

But if you absolutely must, use them sparingly, and err on the side of slightly overbaking to help evaporate out some of the excess moisture.

Can this recipe be made in a different sized pan?

If you need to feed a crowd, double this recipe and it can be made in a 9x13 pan.

I will also add that the bars you see in the images and videos here are pretty large, at about 3-inches square. And that is reflected in the nutritional info. It looks great but personally, I can only eat about half a bar in one sitting.

How do you store this recipe?

These keep really well at room temperature, for quite a while! Just keep them in a zip-top bag and they should be good for at least a week!

Or you can freeze them. They should last for a few months in the freezer. Thaw them at room temperature or in the microwave for about a minute or two on a low setting.