Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Shortbread Crust & Streusel
- 375 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 4 g baking powder
- 3 g salt
- 225 g unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Layer
- 225 g cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 5 ml vanilla extract
Wild Blueberry Filling
- 400 g wild blueberries, frozen or fresh
- 65 g granulated sugar
- 15 g cornstarch
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g lemon zest, finely grated
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 325 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 39 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 17 g
- Sodium
- 155 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 68 mg
- Potassium
- 58 mg
- Calcium
- 43 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 8 mg
- Phosphorus
- 62 mg
- Zinc
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 150 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.0 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.10 mg
- Niacin
- 0.4 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 41 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F. Line a 23x23cm (9x9 inch) baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt for the crust and streusel.
Cut the cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse sand with some pea-sized clumps.
Stir the lightly beaten egg and vanilla extract into the flour-butter mixture until it forms a crumbly dough.
Press slightly more than half of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan to form a compact shortbread crust. Reserve the remaining dough in the refrigerator to use as the streusel topping.
In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and granulated sugar together until completely smooth.
Add the egg and vanilla extract to the cream cheese mixture, beating on low speed just until combined and smooth.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the unbaked shortbread crust.
In a medium bowl, gently toss the wild blueberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and lemon zest until the berries are evenly coated.
Spoon the blueberry mixture evenly over the cream cheese layer.
Retrieve the reserved dough from the refrigerator and crumble it evenly over the blueberry layer.
Bake in the preheated oven at 190°C/375°F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the streusel top is golden brown and the blueberry juices are bubbling at the edges.
Remove the baking pan from the oven and let cool completely at room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Chef's Notes
- If using frozen wild blueberries, do not thaw them before tossing with the sugar and cornstarch. Thawing will release too much liquid and cause the filling to bleed uncontrollably into the cream cheese layer.
- For the cleanest, most professional cuts, lift the chilled slab out of the pan using the parchment overhang. Use a sharp, hot chef's knife, wiping the blade clean with a damp paper towel between every single slice.
- Chilling the reserved dough before crumbling it over the top ensures the streusel retains its distinct, crumbly texture rather than melting flat into the fruit during the bake.
- Wild blueberries are preferred over standard cultivated blueberries due to their lower water content and more intense flavor, which prevents the bars from becoming overly wet.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to keep the crust from becoming soggy.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and store in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Troubleshooting
Bars fall apart completely when attempting to slice them
Cause: The bars were sliced while still warm or at room temperature, causing the cream cheese and fruit layers to give way
Fix: Return the bars to the refrigerator until completely firm before cutting again
Prevention: Chill the baked pan in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours to allow the cream cheese and butter to set firmly
Blueberry filling is highly watery and makes the crust soggy
Cause: Frozen blueberries were thawed before mixing, or not enough cornstarch was used
Fix: Cannot be fixed after baking
Prevention: Use frozen berries straight from the freezer without thawing, and ensure the cornstarch is accurately measured
Lumps in the cream cheese layer
Cause: Cream cheese was too cold when beaten
Fix: Press the mixture through a fine mesh sieve before assembling the bars
Prevention: Ensure cream cheese is completely softened to room temperature before mixing
Cultural Context
Fruit and crumb bars represent a classic staple of American potlucks and holiday gatherings, combining elements of a pie, a cheesecake, and a shortbread cookie into an easily transportable format. Wild blueberries, deeply rooted in North American culinary history, offer a uniquely tart and concentrated flavor profile that balances perfectly with the rich dairy elements.
