Strawberry Crumble Bars

Also known in my home as "homemade poptarts" because that's exactly what they taste like.

The other day I came across a recipe that I originally just glanced at a little because it was pretty simple to remember. Kind of. But, knowing I didn't have all the ingredients and didn't feel like going out and buying the ingredients, I had to switch it up a little bit. Thankfully it came out great. Really great. So great I they disappeared so quickly i had to make more the next day. That kind of great.

Now,  I was too busy experimenting with this recipe to take much pictures of the process itself. Next time. Hopefully. But I will explain as best as I can.

First, start out by preheating your oven to 350 degrees then put the flour, both sugars, and oats to your mixing bowl. Now, that's where I started making the recipe my own. It originally called for 1/2 cup granulated sugar and rolled oats. Except I didn't have much sugar left. At least not a full 1/2 cup of it. So it was a little less than a half cup. Maybe a half inch or so below the top of the half-cup measuring cup? Anyways. I also didn't have rolled oats. I'm not even sure what they are. I used regular quaker oats that come in the tin for oatmeal.

After you just quickly mix those dry ingredients together, add in your softened butter (cut into pieces because it incorporates quicker). While that's mixing, crack an egg into a small bowl and beat it as you do when making scrambled eggs. Once it's beaten add that to your dough mixture and combine until fully incorporated. When your mixture is the texture of crumbs. Or somewhere between dough-y and crumb-y, you're done mixing. Put about 1.5-2 cups aside, and add the remaining dough in the bowl to a lined and buttered 8x8 square baking pan.

Press it down so it's like a crust, trying to push it up on the edges a little bit. Kind of like you do with pie crusts. Then (this is also where I switched it up) add you filling on top. The original recipe called for raspberry preserves. I didn't have those either. But I did have strawberry sauce, the same kind I used for my Strawberry Swirl Pound Cake. Of course, you can use blueberry pie filling, cherry pie filling, or anything that isn't too chunky, and thick enough to hold up. Spread it all over the top surface of the dough, but don't spread it right up to the edge. Leave a little room.

Once that's done, use your remaining dough and sprinkle it on top. If it's not crumbly enough to crumble on top break of small pieced and just sprinkle it all over the top. You don't want any of your filling showing, so use it all.

Since I didn't use enough sugar the first time I wanted to make sure it was sweet enough, so before putting it in the oven I sprinkled brown sugar on the top. I'd say maybe I used somewhere between 1-2 tablespoons of it. Put it in the oven for about 30 minutes or so. But, like I always say I think my oven cooks hotter than most because it's starting to brown at 15 minutes. So keep an eye on it! You just want it a nice golden brown. Let it cool a few minutes in the pan, then remove it and let it cool completely on a cooling rack. Cut. Serve. Enjoy.

Or just keep it all to yourself and enjoy.

Either way.

you can even see the parts of the top that has the brown sugar on it and some of the strawberry peeking out

super crumbly as well

INGREDIENTS

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

little less than a 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 sticks butter (softened), plus more for the pan

1 cup oats

1 egg, beaten

1 cup strawberry dipping sauce

1/4 teaspoon salt (if you use unsalted butter)