Ingredients
Scale
- 1 ¾ cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (65g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoon (45g) packed light brown sugar
- ¾ cup (170g) salted butter, melted (or add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter)
- 1 teaspoon (5ml) pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups (400g) chopped fresh strawberries (each strawberry quartered then halved to yield about 8 pieces per strawberry)
- 2 tablespoon (25g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (60g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) light or heavy whipping cream
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving about a 2-inch overhang on each side for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt (if using unsalted butter). Mix thoroughly to eliminate any lumps, especially of brown sugar. Add the melted salted butter and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon until they start to come together, then use your fingertips to toss and form large crumbs. Take about two-thirds of this crumb mixture and press it evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan using floured hands and an offset spatula to smooth the surface. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the crust is lightly golden and set aside to cool slightly.
- In another bowl, mix together the chopped strawberries, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour carefully to coat the fruit evenly. Spoon this strawberry mixture evenly over the slightly cooled baked crust layer in the pan.
- Crumble the remaining one-third of the crust mixture evenly on top of the strawberry layer. The strawberries will remain visible between crumbs. Bake again for 30-35 minutes until the strawberry juices are bubbling and the crumb topping turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Drizzle this vanilla glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Once glazed, cut into 12 bars and serve.