Vegan Berry Crumble Bars!

Sweet, berry jam bars with a nutty oat layer on the top and bottom! My mom used to make these bars all the time when I was a kid, but I took the recipe and made it vegan! We always used raspberry jam which is probably my favorite, but this blueberry option is a great one as well.

Berry Jam Bars

Makes 8 bars

Crust ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour

• 3/4 cup oats

• 1/4 cup coconut (or brown) sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• a pinch of salt

• 1/2 cup almond butter

• 3 tablespoons nondairy milk

Jam ingredients (or you can use store bought!):

• 1 1/2 cup frozen blueberries (or any berries)

• 2 tablespoons coconut sugar

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (or ground flax seeds)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a bread pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, mix all the crust ingredients together, it should be slightly crumbly but hold when pressed together (if it is too dry you can add a teaspoon or tablespoon more of nondairy milk).

3. Take 3/4 cup of the crust and set it aside in a small bowl to use as the topping later.

4. With the remaining crust, press it tightly and evenly into the bottom of the lined bread pan and bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden.

5. While the crust is baking, make the jam! Add all the jam ingredients to a pot on the stove over medium heat. Stirring occasionally until the berries are cooked and some of the liquid is evaporated.

6. Remove the crust from the oven and layer over top the jam, then crumble over the remaining crust and lightly press it into the berries.

7. Bake for another 15-20 minutes until golden on top, remove from the oven and let cool before slicing, then enjoy!

If you make these, I would love to see! Share on Instagram and tag @thisfruitylife, I appreciate you!