Strawberry rhubarb oatmeal bars

Strawberry rhubarb bars with fresh rhubarb and strawberries in the foreground

5 from 1 vote

Strawberry rhubarb oatmeal bars

The fresh flavor of strawberries and rhubarb really comes through in these easy oatmeal bars.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Servings: 2" bars

Calories: 165kcal

Ingredients

OATMEAL CRUST

1 cup all-purpose flour (130 grams / 4.5 ounces)
1 ⅔ cup quick oats 140 grams / 5 ounces
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup brown sugar 100 grams / 2.5 ounces
1 large egg
⅓ cup melted butter 70 grams / 2.5 ounces
¼ cup maple syrup 80 grams / 2.8 ounces

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB FILLING

2 cups diced strawberries Dice ¼" pieces. 283 grams / 10 ounces
1 ½ cups diced rhubarb Dice ¼" pieces. about 200 grams / 7 ounces
⅓ cup granulated sugar 67 grams / 2.4 ounces
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh or bottled
1 tablespoon corn starch

Instructions

MAKE OATMEAL CRUST & CRUMBLE TOPPING

PREPARE: Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a metal 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving two sides to overhang like handles. This lets you lift the bars out to easily cut them. (You can use a 9x9 but might need more oatmeal crumble for the top, instructions below).
MEASURE DRY: In a large bowl measure out flour, oats, baking powder, and spices. Stir to combine. Add brown sugar.
ADD WET: Add in melted butter, maple syrup, and egg. Stir to combine.
PRESS IN CRUST: Take 1 ½ cups of the mixture and press it evenly into the pan. You should have about ½ cups of oatmeal mixture remaining for the top.
LEFTOVER OATMEAL CRUMBLE: It might not look like you have much left, but you only need about a ⅓ cup to dabble over the top of the fruit filling. If you used a 9x9 pan, you might need more. To make more, mix in 1 tablespoon each of: melted butter, maple syrup, brown sugar, and flour PLUS 3-4 tablespoon quick oats, and a pinch of salt.

STRAWBERRY RHUBARB FILLING

MIX FRUIT: add the diced strawberries and rhubarb to a mixing bowl along with lemon juice and stir to coat.
NOTE: If your strawberries are really bland, feel free to add a ½ teaspoon of vanilla or almond extract to the bowl. Otherwise, don't add it so you can preserve the natural fresh fruit flavor.
ADD SUGAR & CORNSTARCH: in a small bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch. You want the cornstarch to be evenly distributed and not clump. Pour sugar+cornstarch mixture over the fruit. Stir to coat.
POUR OVER CRUST: Pour the strawberry rhubarb filling over the oatmeal crust. Spread out evenly. Add little pieces of the crumble topping, dotted all over the top of the filling.

BAKE AT 350℉ for 20-25 minutes

Bake the bars for 20-25 minutes. The top crumble layer will be browned and the filling will look softened and a little jammy. Let cool before slicing (or they can fall apart).

STORAGE

These bars last on the counter for 2-3 days, or in the fridge for 5 days. They crumble topping might get a little soft in the fridge, but it honestly still tastes fantastic!

Notes

The nutrition is calculated based on cutting the strawberry rhubarb bars into 16 squares that are 2" each. It's small, but perfect for a party. If you cut these into 9 squares instead (a 3x3 grid in the pan), then they are 293 calories each.

White all-purpose flour can be substituted with whole wheat and the bars still work out great.

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Nutrition