We transformed grandma's tried-and-true pie recipe into these vegan, gluten-free Four Berry Pie Bars. The perfect portable summer dessert!

stack of gluten free four berry pie bars with fresh 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?

Side view of four berry pie bar with streusel topping

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 go, 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.

overhead of vegan four berry pie bars cut into squares on a baking sheet

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.

Overhead view of vegan four berry pie bars with streusel topping

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 delicious 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.

Vegan, gluten free four berry pie bars with a bite taken out

Have leftover berries?

If you can refrain from eating your entire haul of summer berries, try some of these other delicious recipes:

If you make these vegan and gluten free Four Berry Pie Bars, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations on Instagram – tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

Four Berry Pie Bars

Author: Lexi
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Yield: 12-16 servings 1x
Diet: Vegan

Print Recipe

Description

We transformed 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!

Scale

Ingredients

Crust:

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1 cup white rice flour
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup hemp seeds
2 tbsp shredded coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
1 cup vegan butter, chilled and cut into pieces
3 tbsp creamy almond butter
2 ½ tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
½ cup raw, unsalted almonds

Filling:

5 cups mixed berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries)
½ cup peeled apple (grated or finely diced)
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
¾ 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 8x8 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 ½-2/3 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!

Category: Dessert
Method: Oven
Cuisine: American

Keywords: four berry pie bars