I always get excited when I start seeing locally grown strawberries arrive at our nearby market.

Aside from fruit salads, shortcake and chocolate-covered strawberries, you can use strawberries in anything from sweet to savory. Worth keeping them in salads and if you haven’t tried pickled strawberries – you must! To be honest, I truly haven’t met a strawberry recipe I didn’t immediately fall in love with and devour. Including these strawberry streusel bars.

This method had me at strawberry, and sold me with the white chocolate drizzle!

To make these Strawberry Streusel Bars set out:

old fashioned oats – Adds a chewy texture to the bars.
unbleached all-purpose flour – Helps bind the mixture.
granulated sugar (white) – Adds sweetness to the streusel.
light brown sugar – Adds a subtle caramel like sweetness. Both sugars will aid in crisping the streusel when baked.
baking soda – Similar the ingredient listed above, you don’t see this in streusel but can aid in browning.
baking powder – Typically you don’t see this in streusel but keeps the crust tender.
fine salt – This balances out the sweetness. Never leave out the salt in a recipe.
chilled butter – This is what binds the streusel together so you get those crisp buttery lumps of streusel.
strawberries – Add satisfying texture and sweet flavor.
strawberry jam – Adds an additional layer of strawberry goodness. I like to use Bonne Maman (not sponsored).
lemon zest – Brightens up the jam mixture with citrusy notes.
pure vanilla extract – Enhances the flavor of the blackberry jam filling.
white chocolate – I like to use Ghirardelli melting wafers (not sponsored).

Make The Oat Crust and Streusel:

Preheat oven to 350℉ (or 180℃).

In a large bowl add the 2 cups old fashioned rolled oats, 1-1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup both white and light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt to the bowl.

Whisk the dry ingredients until combined.

Add 1 cup chilled butter into the bowl as well.

With a pastry cutter to blend the butter into the flour and oat mixture.

There are a few things that are certain when I’m cutting in butter. For one I will be flinging flour coated butter crumbles everywhere and making somewhat of a mess. And the moment my arm becomes tired, I will want to throw in the towel because I’m feeling that I can no longer do it… only then is when it becomes easier and starts coming together.

So simply hang in there… you’re almost done!

Stop once the crumbles are small and uniform.

Be sure to reserve 1 cup of that crumble mixture and set it off to the side, gather it later in this dish.

Pour the remaining crumble mixture into an un-greased 10 x 15 jelly roll pan. I’ve linked to a similar pan I use to make these as well, you can find it in the printable recipe at the end of the post.

Pressing it down firmly with the flat side of a measuring cup or glass to form the crust. Bake on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes.

Build The Streusel Bars:

In a small sauce pan heat up a 6 ounces of strawberry jam and 1 teaspoon of lemon zest over low heat. Stir until the jam is warm and spreadable. Once warm, remove off of the heat and add a splash of vanilla extract.

Remove the partially baked crust from the oven.

Use an offset spatula to spread the jam all over the warm crust.

Then arrange 2 cups of quartered strawberries evenly on top of the jam.

Sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture, and then place the pan back into the oven for 20-25 more minutes or until the streusel topping is a light golden brown.

Once baked, your home should smell memorable, but unfortunately you’ll have to let the bars cool for one whole agonizing hour.

Once the strawberry bars are cooled it’s time to prepare the white chocolate drizzle. I’m using Ghirardelli wafers, which are way easier to melt, simply follow the package directions to melt.

Once melted, use a spoon or spatula to drizzle across the tops of the bars. FYI I cut my bars before drizzling, because I think the final result is prettier.

Crisp and buttery yet chewy. Worth keeping the brightness of the lemon with the strawberries.

Everyone at the table and I truly enjoyed every piece right down to the last oatmeal crumble.