Raspberry Bars

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Full of tart, juicy fruit, these raspberry bars have all the flavor of a classic pie, but in easy-to-share bars for summer entertaining.

Every summer I have grand plans for amazing meals grilled outside, plenty of patio parties, and park picnics galore. The reality, though, is harvesting the fresh raspberries from my bushes before the rabbits get them (or the mosquitos get me.)

Raspberries don’t last long around here. We’re often guilty of downing full raspberry packs in one sitting, so it’s a good thing I can grab a handful of them from the yard for quick morning snack.

If I can keep all the raspberry eaters at bay, I make these raspberry crumble bars. With a shortbread crust, juicy raspberry filling, and buttery topping, they’re hard to resist!

Fresh raspberry bars

Bar desserts are something I grew up with in the Midwest, and I love to see their resurgence every spring and summer. They make dessert portable, and so much easier to make when it comes to bringing something to the cookout or potluck.

Raspberries are my go-to fruit, so these fresh raspberry bars are often on rotation. While some recipes I’ve come across use raspberry preserves or jam for the filling, I like to use fresh raspberries for the best flavor.

If you can’t get your hands on fresh raspberries, use frozen berries that have been thawed. Skip the mashing step, and mix them with the sugar just before pouring on to the crust.

Ingredients for raspberry bars

You’ll need:

• Raspberries
• All-purpose flour ^*
• Powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar)
• Granulated sugar
• Brown sugar
• Unsalted butter
• Egg
• Salt

That’s it! Keeping the ingredients minimal lets the raspberries really shine.

How to make pie bars

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 9×9-inch square pan with parchment paper ^*, leaving a little overhang so you can lift out the bars to cut after baking. I like to use a tiny bit of nonstick spray on the pan to help the parchment stick and not slide around when adding the crust. If you don’t have parchment, you can use aluminum foil.

First make the bottom crust, either using a food processor ^* or a bowl and pastry blender ^*. Combine flour, powdered sugar, and salt, then pulse or cut in the butter. You want to mix until the butter is uniformly small, and the mixture looks like cornmeal.

Beat the egg and then mix it into the flour mixture. It will seem like it won’t come together, but keep going! As you mix the dough will start to form large clumps.

Dump the dough into the baking pan and press evenly to reach all the corners and edges. Prick all over with a fork, then bake for 8-10 minutes.

While the crust is baking, put the raspberries in a bowl and sprinkle on brown sugar. Smash the raspberries with a fork or the back of a spoon, mixing with the sugar to get nice and juicy.

In another bowl (or use the food processor again), combine the remaining flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar, then cut in butter until crumbly.

Spread the raspberries, along with any accumulated juices, evenly over the baked crust, then sprinkle on the crumble topping, varying large and small pieces.

Place the baking pan back into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is browned.

Let cool completely, then lift out of the pan and slice into bars.

Raspberry pie bar variations

These raspberry pie bars are very similar to my apple pie bars — in fact, the only change is the fruit filling. The base recipe is endlessly adaptable and so easy to work with.

If you do want to use raspberry jam in these bars, you will need an 8 to 10 ounce jar to cover the crust.

I also recommend trying these with fresh summer peaches. Cook them down as in the apple version, and toss in some fresh ginger or ground cardamom while you’re at it!

Strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries would also work well here. There really aren’t too many rules when it comes to bar desserts like this.

You can drizzle on some simple icing, but I love them just the way they are!

storage tips

These will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days, but note that the crust will soften a bit in storage. If you want hem to last longer, you can store in the fridge.

Making these bars in advance, or have lots of leftovers? You can easily freeze them to enjoy later.

After baking, let them cool completely, then lift the bars out on the parchment paper. Slice directly on the paper, taking care to not cut through it.

Slide the parchment paper and bars into a gallon-size freezer bag. If you need to freeze in multiple layers, add another piece of parchment on top to prevent sticking. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and freeze.

To thaw, remove bars from the freezer and let rest at room temperature for a few hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. You can also warm single bars in a microwave.

Easy raspberry recipes

If you have more raspberries to use up, you’re in luck! Raspberries are actually quite the versatile little fruit.

Try my breakfast recipes for raspberry scones, raspberry bran muffins or raspberry almond baked oatmeal. My friend Jamie has an amazing raspberry shrub recipe. Or go savory with raspberry chipotle chicken wings.