So, I should be writing, diving deep into my manuscript, crafting brilliant dialogue, untangling plot knots…but instead, I’m here, dreaming of summer, sunshine, and fresh berries. Naturally, that led me to what I like to call…procrastibaking (i.e., the art of putting off today what can be done tomorrow and baking instead!).
This time, I whipped up some Vegan Blueberry Crumble Bars, and let me tell you, they were absolutely smashingly delicious. And by “smashingly,” I mean I smashed them into my mouth, one after another, like I was training for a competitive eating contest. I have no regrets.
The best part? You only need ten ingredients, and if you bake even semi-regularly, you probably already have most of them hanging out in your pantry.
Ingredients Breakdown:
Crust & Crumb Mixture:
- 3 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 3 tsp Cornstarch
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp) Butter-Flavored Shortening (You can use another butter substitute, but it might not give you the shortbread texture you want in the crust.)
Blueberry Filling:
- ½ cup White Sugar
- 2 cups Blueberries (frozen works beautifully)
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 3 tsp Cornstarch
Let’s Get Baking:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F, because a cold oven is no one’s friend.
- Mix the crust/crumb ingredients in a food processor (pulse setting is your BFF). If you’re more of a “hands-on” baker, a bowl and pastry cutter (or two knives) work too.
- Start by blending the dry ingredients.
- Add 4 tbsp of shortening and pulse 4-6 times in 1-2 second bursts. Repeat until you’ve added 16 tbsp (1 cup total) and the mix looks crumbly. Pea-sized bits are the goal. (For the bowl method, crisscross those knives or use a pastry cutter until you hit crumb territory.)
- Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. I like to spray the bottom lightly first to keep everything in place and avoid the dreaded “stuck crumble corner tragedy.”
- Press half the crumb mixture into the bottom of the pan. You’re aiming for a Goldielocks’ situation, not too thick, not too thin. Make sure it reaches all four sides and corners, but no need to overdo it.
- Make the blueberry filling: In a separate bowl, gently combine the blueberries, sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Go easy. We’re not making blueberry jam here. Evenly distribute the mixture over the crust, but don’t stress about filling every gap. The blueberries will melt into sweet, jammy perfection on their own.
- Sprinkle the rest of the crumb mixture on top. No need to press it down…we’re going for a crumbly, rustic topping vibe.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when the top is a beautiful golden brown and the blueberries are hot and melty-looking.
- Let it cool completely before slicing into 20 squares (or fewer if you like your portions more “generous” — no judgment).
Bonus Serving Tip:
These bars are incredible with vanilla ice cream. I used a vegan one (Better Goods Oat Ice Cream), and honestly, it felt like I was indulging in a fancy dessert from a café… in my sweatpants… while ignoring my word count.
Why You’ll Love These Bars:
- Vegan-friendly ✅
- Nut-free, dairy-free ✅
- Potential for gluten-free ✅ (just sub in a gluten-free flour blend!)
- Easy enough to whip up on a writing break ✅
Final Thoughts:
As I sat there, face full of crumble bars, I couldn’t help but wonder… why am I pouring all my creativity into dessert instead of my manuscript? Maybe I should write a novel about a baker. Or a writer who procrastinates with baking. Or a detective who solves crimes by analyzing pastry crumbs.
Okay, maybe not.
But seriously, what’s your go-to “procrastibaking” recipe? (Or procrasticleaning, procrastishopping… whatever your flavor of avoiding the task at hand.) Let me know in the comments!
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to scrape the last of the blueberry goodness off the serving tray. For… science.