Four Berry Pie is a signature summertime dessert in our house. A buttery gluten-free crust with tangy berry filling is synonymous with the Fourth of July in Michigan. We transformed my grandma’s tried-and-true pie recipe into these vegan, gluten-free Four Berry Pie Bars because everything tastes better when you eat it with your hands!
Make the most of the season’s berries
In our house, summertime means summer fruit. And lots of it. We love using berries, watermelon, peaches, you name it, in recipes from breakfast to dessert (and don’t forget cocktails).
As implied, these berry pie bars use four of our favorites: strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and cherries. Cherries are especially important for the classic Michigan recipe. We’re proud to have cherries as our (unofficial) state fruit and what better way to honor these ruby stone fruits than with vegan four berry pie bars to share?
You can be all but guaranteed to catch some four berry pie at any self-respecting Michigan Fourth of July celebration, but this recipe will elevate your game. With a gluten-free and vegan pie crust, these bars are friendly for the whole gang. Plus, they’re hand-held bars ideal for taking on the move, which is sure to be a hit with any kids at your party. We love a good pie ourselves, but there’s something so freeing about dessert bars. They’re equally as good a la mode, of course!
The secret to the right sweet-tangy balance when it comes to this pie filling is a bit of citrus. We use lime zest and juice for these berry pie bars, but lemon would work well too.
The perfect gluten-free pie crust
Finding a perfect pie crust recipe that’s gluten-free, dairy-free and egg-free was no small feat. But after a few dozen iterations, we landed on this magical combination that includes rolled oats, coconut, hemp seeds and creamy almond butter for staying power. The result is a decadent pie crust that holds up well despite plenty of gooey berries inside.
We like the nuttiness from the almond butter, and added a second kick with almond extract. Combined with the fresh summer fruit and comforting oats, the almond flavor is a true winner.
We also love that this vegan gluten-free crust recipe forms a delicous streusel-like topping on the pie bars. In our book, the perfect pie bar is sturdy on the bottom and crumbly on top, with a thick layer of sweet berries in the middle.
Have leftover berries?
If you can refrain from eating your entire haul of summer berries, try some of these other delicious recipes:
- Fluffy Vegan Blueberry Pancakes (gluten-free)
- Watermelon Berry Salad with Lime Mint Dressing
- Vegan Strawberry Mousse Pie
- Easy Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes from Nora Cooks
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A buttery crust with tangy berry filling is synonymous with the fourth of July in Michigan. We transformed Beth’s tried-and-true pie recipe into these vegan, gluten-free Four Berry Pie Bars because everything tastes better when you eat it with your hands!
Ingredients
Crust:
- 3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup white rice flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup vegan butter, chilled and cut into pieces
- 3 tbsp creamy almond butter
- 2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup raw, unsalted almonds
Filling:
- 5 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries)
- 1/2 cup peeled apple (grated or finely diced)
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 tsp lime zest
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 6 tbsp chia seeds
Instructions
Filling:
- Wash berries and pat dry with a clean towel to remove excess moisture.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring all ingredients except chia seeds to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often. Softly mash the mixture with the back of a wooden spoon to achieve a jam-like consistency.
- Remove from heat and stir in chia seeds. Let sit 30 minutes to cool and thicken.
Crust:
- Preheat oven to 350 F and line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment paper.
- In a food processor, pulse all dry ingredients until a crumbly mixture forms. Add wet ingredients and continue to pulse until well incorporated. You may need to transfer to a large mixing bowl and knead lightly by hand before pressing into pan.
- Press 1/2-2/3 of mixture into pan. Spread berry mixture over top to form an even layer.
- Generously sprinkle remaining crumble over the top.
- Bake for 33-37 minutes, until golden brown on top.
- Let cool in pan at room temperature for several hours – until completely cooled. Carefully remove from pan and slice into bars.
Notes
It’s important to let the bars cool completely so they have time to set. Otherwise, they’re pretty messy – kind of like an actual slice of pie!
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