Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 4 cups fresh blueberries
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan with butter or line it with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides for easy removal. This ensures your bars won’t stick and makes clean-up a breeze.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 3 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of the sugar, the baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to blend in the cold, cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the beaten egg until the dough starts to clump together. The dough should be crumbly but hold together when pressed.
- Take about two-thirds of the dough mixture and press it firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Use the back of a measuring cup to smooth it out. This forms the sturdy base of your Easy Blueberry Pie Bars Juicy Bakery Easy.
- In another bowl, gently toss the fresh blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. The cornstarch is essential here as it thickens the juices during baking, creating that signature juicy bakery texture.
- Spread the blueberry mixture evenly over the bottom crust. Sprinkle the remaining dough crumbs over the top of the berries, allowing some of the fruit to peek through. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Let the bars cool completely in the pan before slicing. This is the hardest part, but cooling allows the filling to set so you get clean, perfect squares.
- Cook Time: 65 minutes