Have you ever had to fend off your kids so that your favorite food doesn’t disappear faster than a Kmart blue light special? That’s what happens when I make a batch of these Gluten Free Blueberry Bars. My kids jump right into attack mode to get a piece because there’s something special about a homemade blueberry bar. That sweet, juicy filling and the tender sugar-cookie topping turn my kids into a bunch of hungry buzzards. Finding a gluten free and allergy friendly version that’s just as delicious has been a challenge, but not anymore! These Gluten Free Blueberry Bars are everything you love about the classic treat, without the gluten, dairy, or eggs.
Why You’ll Love These Gluten Free Blueberry Bars
Trust me when I say your family is going to love this gluten free blueberry bars recipe. These bars are the perfect summer treat!
- Easy to Make: This blueberry bar recipe is so easy that kids could do most of the work (with adult supervision, of course). There are no complicated techniques or ingredients. The only step that would normally require a bit of physical effort is handled by a food processor.
- Make-ahead: Does it get any better than being able to make your dessert the day before? With these blueberry bars you’ll get a free pass on the day you want to eat dessert because you make them a day ahead of time.
- Allergy Friendly: Probably the best thing about these bars (other than their delicious flavor) is how incredibly allergy friendly they are. The recipe has no gluten, dairy, soy, or eggs. That means you can bless people with all sorts of needs with your baking!
Ingredients & Substitutions
The ingredients for these blueberry bars are pretty simple. There are a few substitutions you can make if you need or want to.
- Gluten Free Flour: I designed this recipe to be make with my standard flour blend which you can find here. If you decide to use another gluten free flour mix you may need to adjust the amount of liquid in the recipe. Whenever you are unsure of the amount of liquid you need, start with a bit less than the recipe calls for and then add more as needed.
- Dairy Free Cream Cheese: I particularly love how this recipe turns out when you use dairy free cream cheese mixed with a little dairy free cream or coconut milk. If you’d prefer, you can use a *super thick* dairy free yogurt, or a dairy-based Greek yogurt if you can have that.
- Blueberries: Berry season is a big deal in my house. We love just about every variety. While this recipe is for Gluten Free Blueberry Bars, I’ve also made it with strawberries (chopped into small pieces). You could probably substitute any berry you prefer
Tips & Tricks
This Gluten Free Blueberry Bars recipe is quite simple. There are a few tips and tricks to make your life even easier.
- Fresh vs. Frozen: I love frozen berries for many things, but not for these bars. I would recommend using only fresh berries here as the frozen ones will give off too much water, potentially making your bars soggy or mushy.
- When to Make: The best thing about these bars is you make them a day ahead of time. If you try to eat them fresh out of the oven (or even when they’ve just cooled) they will be a bit overly soft and liquid-y. By giving them at least 8-12 hours (and up to a few days) before serving they set up perfectly.
- How to Serve: These bars are super versatile. You can serve them alone, topped with whipped cream, or even with some ice cream on the side. You can even it them straight out of the pan. I promise I won’t judge!
Gluten Free Blueberry Bars
Summer is just around the corner and you’re going to need something amazing to do with all those delicious berries. These gluten free and allergy friendly blueberry bars are exactly what you’re looking for. They’re simple, versatile, and bursting with flavor and they prove that you don’t have to miss out on delicious baked goods just because of food allergies! Give this recipe a try, and don’t forget to follow Fearless Faithful Mom for more allergy friendly and gluten free recipes. Be sure to post a picture and tag me when you make them!
Gluten Free Blueberry Bars
Ingredients
For the Base & Topping
- 300 g Gluten Free Flour Mix (2 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 56 g cold vegan butter, stick form (1/4 cup)
- 42 g cold shortening (1/4 cup)
- 150 g superfine (baker's) sugar (3/4 cup)
- 62 g vegan cream cheese (1/4 cup)
- 2 tbsp vegan heavy cream (or full fat coconut milk)
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Filling
- 1 lb blueberries (fresh, not frozen)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
For the Glaze
- 114 g powdered sugar 1 cup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1-2 tbsp water (more as needed)
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 in. baking pan with parchment paper.
- Stir together your cream cheese, vegan cream, vinegar, and vanilla and set aside.*
- Whisk together your flour mix, xanthan gum, baking pwder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Put the cold margarine, shortening, and sugar into your food processor with the blade. Turn it on and let it run until they are fully combined, about 15-20 seconds.
- Add the cream cheese mixture to your food processor and run it until they are combined.
- Put the dry ingredients in the food processor and run for another 15-20 seconds, until it comes together as a dough.
- Turn the dough out of the food processor onto your counter and knead it together a few times to make sure everything is mixed in. Press 2/3 of the dough into your prepared pan, wrap the rest in plastic wrap, and put it all in the fridge for 1-2 hours.
- Once the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350*F.
- Stir together your filling ingredients and and spread it across your prepared base. Put small pieces of the remaining dough across the top of the blueberry filling. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Put the pan on a wire rack to cool, then refrigerate overnight before serving.
- Once the bars have cooled, make the glaze by whisking together all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. If needed, add more water to the sugar to reach your desired thickness. Put it in a small piping bag or a zip-top bag, snip the tip off, and drizzle it over the bars.
