Blueberry Cashew Crumble Bars (Printable Version)

Layered bars with vanilla cashew cream, juicy blueberries, and golden oat crumble topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Crust & Crumble Topping

01 - 1½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - ½ cup packed light brown sugar
04 - ½ teaspoon kosher salt
05 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Vanilla Cashew Cream Filling

07 - 1½ cups raw cashews, soaked 4 hours and drained
08 - ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
09 - ¼ cup coconut cream
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of kosher salt

→ Blueberry Layer

13 - 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
14 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
15 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
16 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

# How To Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together the rolled oats, all-purpose flour, light brown sugar, kosher salt, and ground cinnamon. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms moist, crumbly clusters. Reserve ¾ cup of the mixture for the topping.
03 - Press the remaining crumble mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes until just set. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
04 - While the crust bakes, combine the soaked cashews, maple syrup, coconut cream, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt in a high-speed blender. Blend on high until completely silky and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
05 - In a medium bowl, gently toss the blueberries with granulated sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest until the berries are evenly coated.
06 - Spread the cashew cream filling in an even layer over the partially baked crust. Scatter the blueberry mixture uniformly over the cashew cream, then sprinkle the reserved crumble topping across the surface.
07 - Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until the crumble topping is deep golden brown and the blueberry juices are bubbling around the edges.
08 - Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour for cleaner slices. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab out, cut into 12 bars, and serve chilled or at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cashew cream layer is genuinely luxurious and nobody believes it is made from soaked nuts.
  • They look like they took all day but the hands on work is under thirty minutes.
  • The crumble topping gets those golden crispy edges that people fight over.
02 -
  • Underbaking the crust by skipping the parbake step makes the whole bar soggy and impossible to lift.
  • Impatience with the soaking step produces a grainy cashew cream that no amount of extra blending can fix.
03 -
  • If your blender struggles with the cashew cream add one tablespoon of warm water at a time until it catches.
  • Freeze the bars for twenty minutes before slicing if you want bakery perfect edges that photograph beautifully.

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