Blackberry Pie Bars

Happy Friday! Wondering how to make the dad in your life super happy? Serve him up these sweet and summery Blackberry Pie Bars, of course! They’re a guaranteed papa pleaser!!

And you’re going to love these little bars too because you get all the deliciousness and praise for making pie, without all of the hard work, because the shortbread-like crust not only doesn’t require any rolling out, but it also doubles as the streusel topping!

Easy-peasy and done!

And the filling is even easier—you simply whisk the ingredients together, fold in the berries and pour over the pre-baked crust.

And we haven’t even gotten to how scrumptiously yummy these bars are yet!

Crispy buttery shortbread topped with a sweet, almost creamy filling that’s loaded with juicy blackberries and a crumbly streusel topping—every bite is your own little portable bar of blackberry pie heaven!!

Ok, my friends, have a terrific, happy and safe weekend and Father’s Day and I’ll see you next week as we officially head into summer together!xoxo

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Blackberry Pie Bars

Makes about 20-24 small bars

Prep Time for crust: 10 minutes; plus another 15 minutes to pre-bake; Prep Time for filling: 5 minutes; Bake Time: 45-50 minutes

Ingredients

For the crust and streusel topping

• Softened butter for greasing the pan

• 1 ½ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

• ¾ cup sugar

• Pinch of salt

• Zest of half a lemon

• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes and chilled

For the filling

• 2 large eggs

• 1 cup sugar

• ½ cup sour cream

• 6 tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour

• Pinch of salt

• Juice of half a lemon

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 cups fresh blackberries (that’s about two 6 ounce containers)

The Recipe

1. To make the crust and topping: Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8 or 9-inch square baking pan with foil or parchment. allowing for a couple of inches of overhang and lightly grease the bottom and sides. Set aside.

2. Place the flour, sugar, salt and zest in a medium bowl and whisk together well. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the dough until the mixture is crumbly, like a streusel (you should still be able to see little pieces of butter). Measure out ¾ cup of the mixture and set aside to use for the topping. Place the rest in the prepared pan and use your finger to press it into an even layer across the bottom of the pan. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the crust is lightly browned. Set it aside to cool for about 10 minutes while you prepare the filling.

3. To make the filling: Into a medium bowl, add the eggs, sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, lemon juice. and vanilla and whisk together well until smooth. Gently fold in the blackberries. Pour the filling on top of the crust and spread the blackberries out a bit if they clump together. Then, evenly sprinkle the reserved streusel across the top of the filling.

4. Bake for about 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and the center seems set when you give the pan a little shake. Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then cover and place in the fridge for at least 1 hour and up to one day to allow the bars to firm up and make for neater cutting. Use the overhang of foil to transfer to a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into bars. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Note: Recipe adapted from a bunch of different bars I’ve made over the years.