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–+ servings
Stacked slices of strawberry crumble bars on a white plate.

Strawberry Crumble Bars Recipe

Course: Bars, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cooling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
Servings: 9 squares
Calories: 428kcal
Author: Becky Hardin
My quick and easy strawberry bars feature a shortbread crust (made with cake mix!), fruity strawberry pie filling, and a sweet crumble topping.
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • 9x9-inch Baking Pan
  • Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer

Ingredients

  • 15.25 ounces white cake mix 1 box*
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup salted butter softened; 1½ sticks
  • 21 ounces strawberry pie filling 1 can**
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar packed***

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400℉ and line a 9x9 inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Be sure to leave some over the sides so that the bars are easy to remove.
    Ingredients for strawberry crumble bars include white cake mix, all-purpose flour, salted butter, strawberry pie filling, lemon juice, and light brown sugar.
  • Whisk together the cake mix and all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl until combined.
    15.25 ounces white cake mix, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
    Sticks of butter added to a bowl of flour.
  • Beat in the softened butter using a stand or hand mixer until a crumbly mixture forms, about 3-4 minutes on a low speed.
    ¾ cup salted butter
    Beaten cake mix, all-purpose flour, and butter in a white mixing bowl surrounded by ingredients.
  • Remove ¾ cup of the mixture and place in a small mixing bowl to the side.
    Brown sugar crumble topping.
  • Pour the rest of the mixture into the baking pan and press it into an even crust on the bottom of the pan.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the top begins to get golden brown.
    Shortbread crust for strawberry crumble bars in a square baking pan.
  • Remove from the oven and reduce the heat to 350℉.
  • Mix together the strawberry pie filling and lemon juice in a medium sized mixing bowl. Then pour over the crust and spread into an even layer.
    21 ounces strawberry pie filling, 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    A layer of strawberry pie filling in a square baking pan.
  • Cream the light brown sugar into the remaining crumble mixture that was set aside. Then sprinkle it over the strawberry filling.
    2 tablespoons light brown sugar
    Assembled strawberry crumble bars in a square baking pan.
  • Bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until it is golden brown and bubbling.
    Strawberry crumble bars in a baking pan fresh out of the oven.
  • Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely, about 1 hour, before cutting into squares and serving.
    Side view of a strawberry crumble bar slice resting on a spatula, showing every layer.

Notes

Yield: 9-16 squares, depending in how big you prefer to cut them.
*You can use a yellow or butter golden cake mix instead of white, but the color and flavor will be slightly different.
**I used the Great Value canned pie filling, but you can use another brand or a homemade strawberry pie filling if you prefer. You will need about 2 cups, or enough for one 9 inch pie.
***You can substitute dark brown sugar or granulated white sugar.
Becky's Top Tips:
  • I suggest using two pieces of parchment paper to line your baking pan to get really clean corners. Just cut two long pieces that fit the width of the pan but hang over the sides. Place one vertically and the other horizontally to form a cross shape. This lets you press the crust right into the edges without any messy, bunched-up paper in the corners. Plus, it makes it easy to lift out of the pan when it is finished baking!
  • Be sure to let the bars cool and set completely before cutting, otherwise they will be a little messy and runny when trying to slice.
Storage: Store strawberry bars in an airtight bag or container; in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for 3-4 weeks.

Nutrition

Calories: 428kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 37g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 128mg | Iron: 1mg