Delicious Blackberry Pie Bars using a buttery shortbread crust, creamy custard-y filling, topped with more shortbread as a crumble over the top.
My sons attend daycare so I can work and take a lunch break and have paychecks and stuff. Their teachers are phenomenal. They have to be, because one of my sons in particular is somewhat… er… “spirited”.
I thought these bars would be a great way to thank them for all they do. I hope they enjoy!
Aaaah. 117 degrees here in Phoenix today. Can’t go outside. Why not…. uh… heat up the house by BAKING?! Good plan, Kylee! Look at these beauties, though!! Totally worth the A/C bill. Thank you for not alerting my husband to my baking crimes! These Blackberry Pie Bars are faaaaaaabulous. The shortbread crust is crisp and yummy, a custard filling with lemon zest and blackberries, and some of the shortbread crust crumbled on top. Baked… and…. oh my. I really love pie, but feel like these bars are a lot easier to cut and serve (plus, they’re so pretty!!). I think of these more like a crumble, though.
Blackberries are the perfect berry for this – not least because they’re about $1/container right now…. That said, I bet raspberry would be just as fabulous, if those were on sale the week you decide to bake these. For these I used frozen berries, saved from a month or so ago, and with a quick thaw/drain – they were perfect. So, what are you waiting for? What would YOU make if you had a ton of berries?
Want more sweet treats? (of course you do!)
Blackberry Pie Bars
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups butter chilled, 3 sticks
Filling
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup flour
- pinch salt
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 lb blackberries (if frozen thawed and drained)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper, or grease (you choose)
Crust and Topping
- In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar and salt.
- Add the butter and pulse until the butter is crumbly (about a minute)
- Reserve 1 1/2 Cups of the crust mixture (this is the topping)
- Press the remaining mixture into the baking pan (distribute evenly)
- Bake for 15 minutes - the edges should be JUST starting to brown.
- Cool.
Filling
- Whisk the eggs together in a bowl, and add the sugar, sour cream, flour, salt, zest and vanilla.
- Add the blackberries and gently fold in.
- Pour the mixture over the crust, then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes (until center is not jiggly).
- Cool completely before cutting into bars.
- Devour.
Source: As seen on Pink Parsley
These bars look so moist and delicious!! Perfect time to make any dessert with seasonal fruits because they are fresh and inexpensive!!
Thanks, Ludmilla! They’re pretty darn good!
I made blackberry milkshakes a couple weeks ago and bought THE BESR blackberries from Costco. More than $1, but so worth it.
These looks so delicious! We do something similar with raspberries and they are wonderful as well. I think your idea to try raspberry in this recipe would be a great option!
Ooooh. Those look so creamy and delicious. I love crumb topped fruit bars. They are such a great way to make a low stress fruit dessert. I’m sure their teachers loved them.
I wish our berries were that cheap right now! Next time they are on sale, I need to stock up so I can make these bars. Yummmmm!
I can’t wait to make this~
Love blackberries and these bars look fab
Whoa, these sound amazing!! All those layers! I love the taste & color of blackberries, so will be trying this soon!!
Looks like my kinda comfort food dessert!
Blackberry season is coming, and I can already picture myself making these bars!
Have always wanted to make bars like this! Maybe even tomorrow? Gonna check the pantry now!
Oh yum, I bet your boys’ teachers were delighted with these! Love the final colour too!
This is a beautiful recipe! I love Blackberry pies, can’t wait to try this recipe
I baked for a teacher this year, too. For the first time ever! I’m not a great baker so I tend to express my appreciation by NOT baking for someone (heh heh) But he was EXCEPTIONAL and I had to try. Too bad I didn’t have this recipe at the time! Crazy yum.
I literally have a 5 or 6 acre field full of blackberries so I’m looking for new ideas! This I will definitely try this year! Thanks, Kylee! PS I had a “spirited” one too so I feel your pain! 🙂
Mmmm delicious :), I would love a piece of that.
Would it work to substitute canned pie filling? Not nearly as good, but someone gave me a can.
I think it could POTENTIALLY work, but is canned pie filling smooth, or chunky??
Wow this looks so yummy! Thanks for sharing
I’m weirdly not a big berry pie fan, but shortbread crust blackberry bars sound amazing! And I hear you on just needing to crank the A/C for some baking in the summer! Our souls need to be satiated with baking sweet morsels occasionally! 🙂
These look absolutely delish! I recently just stocked up on blackberries after a sale at my local Kroger. This would be a perfect way to use them up 🙂
The blackberries will be ripe on my property soon! I can’t wait to make these! They looks so yummy!
What a perfect summer treat!
These look delicious, I could eat the whole thing
Hey Kylee! Thanks so much for sharing such a wonderful (and pretty!) recipe at You Link It We Make It! I’m featuring it tomorrow morning as my “made it” feature. Hope you’ll stop by and link up with us again! Kim @ knockitoffkim.com
I made these last week and the family loved them. Actually, we liked them better the next day and the day after that! Reason for this comment is the first day the buttery crust is very hard and some of the topping separated from the gooey cheesecake type filling. So, don’t be afraid to make a day or two ahead because we actually liked it better.
Great tip, Jean! Thanks for commenting. I’m so glad you loved them like we did.
Could this recipe be used, but substitute the blackberries for blueberries?
ABSOLUTELY! I’ve done it with raspberries, and a friend of mine has done it with blueberries – and reports it works great!