Strawberry Shortcake Bars with Buttery Crust
Buttery strawberry shortcake bars with a golden crust, jammy strawberry filling, and crisp crumble topping. An easy, crowd-pleasing dessert ready in under an hour.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- mixing bowls
- pastry cutter or fork
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
- In a bowl, toss diced strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside while preparing the crust.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
- Press two-thirds of the mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form an even base.
- Spread strawberry filling evenly over the crust, leaving a small border. Crumble remaining dough evenly over the top.
- Bake for 32–38 minutes, until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling. Cool completely before slicing.
Notes
Let bars cool completely before slicing for clean edges. Chilling the assembled pan for 15 minutes before baking helps keep the layers distinct.