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These Strawberry Pie Bars have a sweet, jammy strawberry filling tucked between layers of buttery shortbread that act as both the crust and the crumb topping. They are simple to make, easy to transport, and the combination of fresh strawberries with rich, tender shortbread makes them hard to resist.
Looking for more seasonal strawberry recipes? Don't miss Strawberry Bread, Strawberry Cheesecake Pancakes, and Strawberries and Cream Oatmeal.
Kristen's Keys for Strawberry Bars
For the easiest prep and best results, pay attention to the following tips.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries. Choose strawberries that are plump and vibrant for the best flavor. Do not use frozen strawberries, as they are too soft and give off too much liquid once defrosted, which will prevent the bars from setting up correctly.
- Do not be tempted to use fat-free sour cream for the filling. Fat-free sour cream is made with added stabilizers that will change the consistency and taste of the bars. If you need to save a few calories or cut back on fat, fat-free plain Greek yogurt works well here.
- Don't skip the lemon. Adding the zest and juice of fresh lemon to the filling helps to brighten up flavors and make everything pop.
- Best enjoyed chilled. As tempting as it is to dive in after baking, let the strawberry bars cool to room temperature than refrigerate to fully chill. As the dessert chills, the filling sets up and the flavor intensifies.
5-Star Review
These are amazing. The streusel topping is the best! -Donna
How to Make Strawberry Pie Bars
Let's walk through how to make these strawberry bars with a few time-saving tips along the way!
Step One: Prepare Shortbread
A simple shortbread makes the very best crust and crumble. You can use a pastry blender, two forks, or a food processor to make the process quick and efficient.
Start by combining the flour, salt, and sugar together. Add in cubed butter and pulse, or mix, together until the mixture is crumbly and just starts to come together.
Step Two: Form Crust
Remove ½ cup of the shortbread mixture to reserve for the strawberry bar topping, then press the remaining mixture into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper to form an even base layer.
Pop the crust into the oven for 15 minutes. This partial bake helps prevents the strawberry filling from soaking into the crust, making it soggy and dense.
Step Three: Prepare Strawberry Filling
While the crust is baking, prepare the filling by mixing the sour cream, sugar, vanilla, egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest together in a large mixing bowl. Gently fold in the strawberries.
Step Four: Assemble and Bake
When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the prepared strawberry mixture over the crust and then sprinkle the reserved ½ cup crust batter over the berry mixture evenly.
Return bars to the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until pie bars are set and crumble over top is slightly browned.
Step Five: Cool and Slice
Allow the bars to cool to room temperature for at least one hour. Then, cover the pan with plastic wrap or a lid, and pop into the fridge for at least 2 hours, overnight is best.
Use the parchment paper to lift the bars out from the pan, slice into bars, and enjoy!
Recipe Modifications
- Swap Strawberries for Blueberries: Follow my recipe for Blueberry Pie Bars, to replace the strawberries with fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Replace the Sour Cream with Yogurt: Feel free to use plain Greek yogurt (any fat percentage) in place of the sour cream.
- Omit the Egg: If you need these bars to be egg-free (or don't have an egg on hand), simply omit the egg. The filling will not set up as much, so these Strawberry Bars will be best enjoyed with a fork.😉
More Fruit Dessert Recipes
Strawberry Pie Bars
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust and Crumble
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- dash table salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed and cold
Strawberry Filling
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ (175℃). Grease an 8x8 baking dish or line it with parchment paper and set aside.
- For the Shortbread Base and Crumble: In a food processor fitted with an s-blade, combine 1½ cup all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, dash table salt, and cubed butter. Pulse together until pastry dough is crumbly and butter is evenly distributed. Remove ½ cup mixture for the crumble topping.
- Press the remaining shortbread mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 15 minutes.
- While crust is baking, combine ½ cup full-fat sour cream, ¼ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice together. Gently fold in diced strawberries.
- When the crust comes out of the oven, pour the strawberry batter over the crust and sprinkle the reserved ½ cup crust batter over the berry mixture evenly.
- Return to the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until pie bars are set and crumble over top is slightly browned.
- Allow the bars to cool for at least an hour at room temperature, then cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours before slicing into bars.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious! I had 2 quarts of ripe strawberries to use up quickly, so I was after a recipe that used more than the usual shortcake and had more shelf life. Excellent flavor - I love that it’s not excessively sweet. Using parchment paper (or, in my case, a mini silicone baking sheet) is key to prevent fruit bars from becoming super glued to the pan. I made 1 1/2x the recipe as the only glass pan I had was 11 x 7”, worked perfectly.
Thanks for sharing Laurie! So happy to hear you enjoyed the bars!