Vegan Raspberry Bars are here just in time for raspberry season. These bars are loaded with fresh raspberries and topped with a nutty crumble that melts in your mouth. With hints of maple, cinnamon, and vanilla that complement the raspberry flavour, these bars take summer desserts to the next level.
When is raspberry season
Raspberry season is NOW. It starts in July and lasts into the summer months. Fresh raspberries honestly taste like Swedish berries (the candy) to me which may be why raspberries are by far my favourite berry. So keep an eye out for those raspberry bushes and get picking!
These berry bars are the perfect way to use your fresh raspberries. I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen raspberries although I think they would do the job too. Because we might want to enjoy these vegan raspberry bars even if it isn’t raspberry season! The raspberry layer of these vegan oat bars is held together by the arrowroot powder and through the cooling process, the raspberries are able to set and hold their own so you can bite into them with no issues.
The base/ crumble mixture for these vegan raspberry bars needs to be made first. You might need to get your hands a little dirty when mixing the base in order to break down the solid coconut oil but that’s the fun part right?! It’s important to reserve 1 cup of the mixture for the end step (the crumble topping) but press the rest of the mixture down firmly into an 8×8 pan and bake it for ten minutes or so.
While the base is baking, that is when you start the raspberry layer. Super simple to follow the instructions. You need your raspberries to come to a slight boil with all the other ingredients (except the arrowroot powder) and then mash the raspberries so there are some larger pieces and some smaller. Then simmer the mixture and add the arrowroot powder so that it thickens (while whisking). Once the base is out of the oven, add the raspberry filling and top it with the oatmeal crumble! Bake it all together for another 22 minutes and then let it cool/ set in the fridge!
here are a few reasons why I love these vegan raspberry bars, so listen up!
- These vegan raspberry bars are SO easy to make. It only takes 20 minutes to throw all the ingredients together. Easy peasy so you can enjoy all your time at the beach this summer. Simple ingredients are used. Hello to the stars of the dish: oats, almond flour, maple syrup, coconut oil, fresh raspberries, and vanilla.
- I won’t lie. The waiting for these berry bars to set is the hard part. But you need to do it. Otherwise, these vegan raspberry bars turn more into a vegan crumble. I mean still super delicious but if you want a bar-style dessert you need to let them set in the fridge so they hold their form. But once that waiting is done, it totally pays off and you are left with a mouthwatering, summer-fresh dessert.
- One of my girlfriends just turned 30. And for her birthday I brought over these vegan oat bars and they were a huge hit. Neither she nor her husband are gluten-free or vegan. But these bars were gone by that evening. So I think that means they were a hit! These berry bars were loved big-time by the Picky Husband. These vegan oat bars are basically like a vegan crumble so if you are a lover of crumble (like me and Adam) then these bars are sure to be your new favourite.
Check out these other vegan raspberry desserts:
These vegan raspberry bars are deadly. I find with a chocolate dessert I can’t eat too much because of the richness. But with these berry bars, I could eat the whole tray no problem… They are sweet but lighter than a brownie which has me wanting to eat them ALL! You’ve been warned.
Lots of friends and family have tested this recipe for me and the end conclusion is that we are all going to be eating these bars as long as raspberry season is here. These vegan oat bars have a nutty and sweet base. And the raspberries steal the show in the middle layer with their flavour and pop. But these bars wouldn’t be the show stoppers that they are without that golden oat crumble on top. That crumble is everything. Raspberry season isn’t here forever, so get baking. And get picking those raspberries.
Raspberry Oat Bars
Ingredients
base/crumble top
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1 1/2 cups oats
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 8 tbsp coconut oil (NOT melted)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
raspberry filling
- 2 cups fresh raspberries
- 3-4 tbsps maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp arrowroot powder/corn starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the base/crumble mixture. Add the almond flour, oats, maple syrup, sea salt, cinnamon, and solid coconut oil to a bowl. Use your hands to combine the ingredients and to break down the coconut oil. The end result should resemble a crumble that sticks together. Take roughly 1 cup of this crumble mixture and set it to the side. This will be added on top of the raspberry filling later.
- Take the rest of the crumble mixture and add it to the 8×8 pan. Using your fingers, press the mixture evenly into the pan. Place it in the oven for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are looking brown.
- While the base is cooking, prepare the raspberry filling.
- Add the raspberries, maple syrup, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a saucepan over medium-high heat. You want to bring this mixture to a light boil for 1-2 minutes. At this point, take a whisk and begin to break up the bigger pieces of raspberries (leaving some different sized pieces for appearance). Then reduce the heat to a medium-low setting. At this point add the arrowroot powder and whisk to combine. Leave the mixture on the medium-low setting for roughly five minutes until it has thickened slightly.
- Once the base is out of the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes at least, and then add the raspberry filling. Using a spatula, evenly spread the raspberry filling over the top of the base. Then take the 1 cup of crumble you set aside at the beginning and add it on top of the raspberry filling. Place back in the oven for 22-24 minutes. At 22 minutes the raspberry filling should be bubbling and the crumble on top should be golden.
- IMPORTANT: Let the crumble bars cool COMPLETELY before slicing them. Let them cool for 20 minutes on the stove and then transfer the pan to the fridge for roughly 1 hour to set.
- Store the bars in the fridge.
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OH MY…. . these look AMAZING. I think they have all my absolutely FAVOURITE ingredients. Anything with an oat crumble topping is a sure fire hit with me! Can’t wait to dive right in …..
I’m with ya on that. I’m a huge crumble fan too!
Anyone tried these with other fruits? Peaches, plums, blueberries?
Also Can regulate all-pupose flour be subbed for almond flour in the same amount? Thx
I know they work with blueberries too! not sure about peaches and plums!
I would think the all purpose flour would work but I haven’t tested it:)