Ingredients:
- 180g rolled oats
- 120g oat flour
- 115g cold, solid coconut oil
- 80ml maple syrup
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 0.25 tsp sea salt
- 300g fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Note: Leave a 2 inch overhang on the sides so you can lift the bars out easily later.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 180g rolled oats, 120g oat flour, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, and 0.25 tsp sea salt.
- Cut 115g of cold, solid coconut oil into the flour mixture. Work it until it looks like coarse sand with pea sized lumps.
- Stir in 80ml of maple syrup. The dough should feel tacky and hold its shape when squeezed.
- Reserve 3/4 cup of this mixture. Press the rest into your pan. Note: Use the bottom of a flat glass to get an even, compressed layer.
- Pre bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until it smells like toasted nuts and looks pale gold.
- While that bakes, toss 300g blueberries with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp zest, 1 tbsp cornstarch, and 1 tbsp maple syrup.
- Spread the blueberry mix over the hot crust and top with the reserved 3/4 cup of crumble.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until the purple juices are vigorously bubbling and the top is golden brown.
- Cool in the pan completely. Slicing while warm will result in a delicious but messy pile of crumbs. | Fresh Blueberries | Frozen Blueberries | Outcome Difference | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Firm, bright, tart | Softer, sweeter, deeper color | Frozen berries bleed more juice, making the bars more jammy. | | Requires less cornstarch | May need 5 extra minutes of baking | Fresh berries hold their round shape better after baking. | If you find yourself with extra berries after making these, they are the perfect addition to a [Blueberry Spinach Smoothie](https://zegreenfood.com/recipes/blueberry-spinach-smoothie-formula/) for a quick hit of antioxidants the next morning.