Redcurrant Crumb Bars
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These redcurrant crumb bars will satisfy your sweet tooth. Oatmeal topping, juicy berry filling and sweet crust are turned into yummy homemade bars!
You might have noticed that I have been obsessed with red, black and white currants lately. I can’t help myself but I love the taste of these tiny berries.
Guys, if you ever end up with a ton of redcurrants (like I did) make these red currant crumb bars. You will love them. It’s the combination of sweet and tangy that makes them extra delicious and your guests will ask for more.
Actually, you can add them to various homemade desserts or use them instead of other berries.
By the way, blackcurrants are the most flavorful and perfect in baking or making homemade ice cream. This summer I used them to make this Blackcurrant Ice Cream. It’s one of the best ice cream flavors I have tasted! It’s sweet and tangy at the same time which makes it super refreshing.
White currants are the sweetest of all 3 kinds hence the most favorite ones among currant lovers. I love making easy no bake desserts with them such as this Chocolate Pudding Dessert.
If you don’t mind doing some baking in summer, give these redcurrant crumb bars a go! They are totally worth it! My family loves them. You can easily use other berries instead. Those of you who have redcurrant bushes and no idea how to use them, try making redcurrant jelly. You won’t be disappointed.
Redcurrant crumb bars recipe breakdown:
Divide the process into 3 simple steps:
- Making the crumble topping
- Prepping the berries
- The crust
Start off with the crumble topping. Get a large bowl and mix all the ingredients together first. Then, using your hands start rubbing everything together until it looks like crumbs. Set aside.
Second step is de-stemming redcurrants. This will take a while but it’s worth it. Once done, make the crust.
For the crust beat butter until creamy. Then add sugar, egg and sour cream. Add them one by one and mix well after every addition. Finally sift in flour that has been mixed with baking soda and mixed spices.
Give it a got mix and pour into a cake pan/sheet pan. This pan’s size should be about 13×9 inch (33×23 cm).
Top with redcurrant berries, crumb topping and bake until ready.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Sour Cream – Greek yogurt will work here as well
- Redcurrants – if you don’t have these use blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberries…
- Rolled Oats – these can be omitted
Redcurrant Crumb Bars
Ingredients
Crust:
- 1½ cup Plain Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Mixed Spice
- 1 Egg
- 1 cup Sour Cream (250 ml)
- 5 ounces Unsalted Butter (140 grams)
Crumb Topping:
- 1 stick Unsalted Butter , soften & diced (115 grams)
- 1 cup Plain Flour (140 grams)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 5 tablespoons Oats
Filling:
- 2½ cups Redcurrants
Instructions
Crumb Topping:
- Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and rub together until you get crumb like texture. Set aside.
Crust:
- In a large bowl, beat butter until soft and creamy. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add sour cream and again beat until well combined. Sift in flour, baking soda and mixed spices. Mix until combined.
- Pour this batter into a baking tray/sheet pan (13×9 inch/33×23 cm) inch pan lined with baking parchment paper. Cover the whole surface with redcurrants (stems removed) and scatter the crumb topping over them.
- Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for 60 minutes or until baked through.
- Enjoy!
What is Mixed Spice composed of?
Hi Nadine. It is a mix of various spices, the most common are: cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, ground ginger and cloves.
Made this last night, its yummy but think I went wrong somewhere as the crust didn’t pour like a batter it was quite thick so I ended up using a smaller tray. Still tasted good though!
Mine are in the oven right now. Can’t wait till they’re done. Yum!
Hope you enjoyed them! :)
Thank you for the awesome recipe! I made them with a bunch of currants one of my clients brought me from her magnificent garden. I will definitely be making this again with all sorts of fruits. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this for at least 20 years. All of the best coffee shops have something similar and now I can make it myself!!!! Thanks again. Loved it.
Wonderful! Now I have a recipe for redcurrants!
I used rice flour to make it gluten free and light creme fraiche and it was great.
Sounds wonderful, Pauline!
Would this work using gluten free flour/ oats? Would I need to add extantham gum?
I have not tested it with gluten free flour so can’t say. Sorry!
Is it possible to freeze these bars? They look great but I’d make a large quantity with my redcurrant bushes!
Marty, I have never tried freezing these. But redcurrants freeze well so I would suggest using the frozen ones (once thawed) whenever you want to make them. Hope this helps.
These bars are fantastic. The base is more of a cookie dough, so does not “pour” or need to be beaten with a mixer. I used a spatula to drop and spread. Super blend of sweet and tart!
Thanks for your feedback, Brenda!
Just baked these today after being determined not to waste another year’s crop of redcurrants just leaving them for the birds! Absolutely delicious and surprisingly light. I only had a 22cm square tin so mine were more sponge/tart like – but the flavour is great! I really want to try a square with a bit of warm custard.
Thank you!
Thanks for your feedback, Sean C! Love the idea of the warm custard topping! :)
I just pulled a pan of these bars out of the oven. Waiting for them to cool so I can try them. I did add a little brown sugar to the crumb mixture and if they taste as good as they look, then I’m making another batch to freeze! I have three big bushes and get a ton of currents every year.
Hope you enjoyed them, Desiree! Happy Baking!
Thank goodness. Something tasty looking that i can do with all these redcurrants i have right now.
Just made the Red Currant Bars! Very happy with the results. Very Tasty:-) I will definitely make them again. The crust ended up a bit thick on my bars so I could use a bigger pan and stretch it farther next time. I did not use the rolled oats. I will make this again!
Can you use frozen currants to make this a different time of the year?
Thanks for your feedback, Julie! I haven’t tried using frozen currants but I don’t see why not!
Hello! I know I’d basically disappeared. I was feeling very stressing, but I’ve changed a few things and have a handle on it again. :) As for these red currant bars – oh my! I love red currents and now I know what I want to do with them next time I get up to the farm stand and snag a container.
These look great. I love crumb bars and currants are not used enough. Beautiful photos.
Thank you Ginny! You are absolutely right-they are not used much which is a shame!
What yummy looking little bars. I’ve never baked with red currents before, but you’ve inspired me! Gorgeous photos. :-)
Thanks, Kristine! Hope you will try using them in baking!
I’ve never baked with red currents before! These look like such a yummy treat!
They are delicious in baked goods, Liz!
MMM I could eat one right now, the look super tempting and redcurrants are so good for you too
:) Thanks, Bintu!
Argh. I ADORE red currants but cannot get them locally. These bars look soooo good though! I love red currant and black currant jam too. But making bars out of these is a stroke of brilliance!
Thanks, Jeni! :) What a shame you can’t get them locally!