Why We Love This Recipe
When the British sun finally shows up, we find ourselves naturally reaching for lighter, fresher foods—and nothing screams summer quite like a plump, juicy British strawberry. We’ve been munching our way through bowls of them lately, and I couldn’t believe my luck when I spotted a big punnet of strawberries in the reduced section during the weekly shop. Honestly, no idea why they were marked down—we’ve been going through them like water!
But with the berries just starting to soften, I knew they needed using up quickly. After a quick scroll online, I landed on a dreamy recipe by Diana from The Little Sunny Kitchen—and it ticked every box: strawberries, a buttery base, and a crumble topping. A true British classic with a bit of a twist.
Why This Dish Works on a Budget
- Reduced fruit = recipe gold: Soft strawberries that aren’t quite perfect for snacking? They’re perfect for baking!
- Everyday ingredients: The base, filling, and topping are made with things you probably already have in your cupboards—think oats, flour, sugar, and butter.
- One tray, many bars: You get a good number of squares from one bake—perfect for packed lunches, after-school snacks, or a sweet treat with a cuppa.
It’s a brilliant way to use up fruit that might otherwise go to waste while creating something homemade, delicious, and satisfying.
Will You Be Trying It?
If you love strawberries and you’re partial to a crumble, this recipe is a total win. When these bars were in the oven, the sweet smell filled the house—and honestly, it had the kids hovering like seagulls at the beach. They barely had time to cool before little hands were reaching in for seconds (and thirds).
You could even switch it up with raspberries, blackberries, or any soft fruit you need to use up. Fancy a bit of extra indulgence? Serve them warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Final Thoughts
This recipe was a total gem, and one I’ll definitely be making again whenever we’ve got soft fruit to use up. It’s simple, quick, and packed with that nostalgic crumble flavour we all love—just in a handy little bar.
Big thanks to Diana at The Little Sunny Kitchen for the inspiration—check out her blog for the full recipe and more summer bakes.
And if you try these Strawberry Crumble Bars, let me know how they go down in your house!
Budget Breakdown 🛒💷
Here’s how the cost per portion stacks up across UK supermarkets:
- Aldi 33p
- Asda 37p
- Morrisons 41p
- Tesco 39p
- Sainsbury’s 46p
(Prices correct at the time of posting — always worth checking for offers!)
Strawberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
- 100 g old fashioned/rolled oats
- 120 g Plain Flour
- 115 g unsalted butter melted
- 100 g light brown sugar packed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 300 g fresh strawberries hulled and chopped
- 60 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons corn flour
Glaze (Optional)
- 120 g Icing sugar
- 1-2 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) / 350°F / Gas Mark 4.
- Prepare the strawberries: In a separate bowl, mix the chopped strawberries with the caster sugar. Leave them for 15 minutes to draw out the juices, then drain off the excess liquid. Add the lemon juice and corn flour and stir until the fruit is well coated.
- Make the crumb base: In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, melted butter, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Assemble the bars: Lightly grease or line an 8-inch (20cm) square baking tin. Press half of the oat mixture into the base of the tin using your hands or the back of a spoon. Spread the strawberry mixture evenly over the top, then crumble the remaining oat mixture over the fruit layer.
- Bake: Pop it in the oven for 35–40 minutes, until golden and bubbling. Let it cool completely in the tin before cutting into squares.
- Optional glaze: Fancy an extra sweet touch? Mix the icing sugar with a little milk or lemon juice until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled bars.
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