Strawberry Guava Crumb Bars

Nutty browned butter almond oat crumble sandwiches a layer of jammy homemade strawberry guava filling in these strawberry guava crumb bars. Every bite is sweet, tangy, nutty, and just a little tropical.

Recipe

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Strawberry Guava Crumb Bars

Total Time1 hour hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert bars

Servings: 16 bars

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Strawberry guava jam

• 10 ounces fresh strawberries sliced
• 6 ounces guava paste cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Browned butter almond oat crumble

• 10 tablespoons butter (141 grams)
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (125 grams)
• ½ cup almond flour (50 grams)
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (80 grams)
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar (133 grams)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon almond extract
• ⅓ cup sliced almonds (53 grams)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides.
• Make the jam. Combine strawberries, guava paste, water, and lime juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring and mashing, until the guava paste fully melts and the strawberries break down into a thick, jammy consistency. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook another 1-2 minutes until noticeably thickened. Transfer to a bowl and let cool completely.
• Prepare the crumble. Brown butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until you see golden-brown flecks and it smells nutty, about 5-7 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
• In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Pour the browned butter and almond extract over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until you get a clumpy, crumbly dough.
• Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form a compact, even base layer. Par-bake for 15 minutes until the edges are just starting to turn golden.
• Spread the cooled jam evenly over the par-baked base, leaving a ¼-inch border. Toss the sliced almonds into the remaining crumble, then scatter it over the jam. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the jam is bubbling at the edges. Let cool completely in the pan before using the parchment overhang to lift out and slice.

Notes

You can make the jam up to 1 week in advance. 

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cook strawberry guava jam

Start by making the strawberry guava jam, since it needs time to cool before you assemble the bars. Combine fresh diced strawberries, cubed guava paste, water, and a splash of lime juice in a saucepan over medium heat.

We're not adding sugar to the jam since guava pasta is already sweetened.

Let everything cook down for about 10 to 15 minutes, stirring and mashing as you go, until the guava paste fully melts into the strawberries and the mixture turns thick and jammy.

Stir in a quick cornstarch slurry at the end to give it a little extra body so the bars slice cleanly. Then, transfer the jam to a bowl and let it cool completely.

You can make this up to 1 week ahead and keep it in the refrigerator, if desired. I doubled the recipe and kept half of the batch on hand to smear on toast; yes, it's that good!

Step 2: Prepare crumble

Next, brown the butter for the crumble. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and let it cook, swirling occasionally, until you see golden brown flecks at the bottom and it smells nutty and toasty. This usually takes 5 to 7 minutes.

Keep a close eye on it because browned butter can go from perfect to burnt in seconds.

Pour it into a heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes so it's warm but not hot.

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, almond flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, and salt. Pour the warm browned butter and almond extract over the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until you get a clumpy, crumbly dough that holds together when you squeeze a handful.

The almond flour gives the crumble a tender, shortbread-like texture that pairs perfectly with the chew of the oats.

Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture firmly into the bottom of a parchment-lined 8x8 baking pan to form a compact, even base. Par-bake the base for 15 minutes at 350°F until the edges are just starting to turn golden. This step keeps the crust from getting soggy under the jam.

Step 3: Bake

Spread the cooled jam evenly over the par-baked base, leaving a small border around the edges so it doesn't spill over.

Toss sliced almonds into the remaining crumble, then scatter the mixture in uneven clumps over the jam. Don't pack it down because you want some of that pink jam peeking through the topping.

Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the jam is bubbling at the edges.

Let the strawberry guava crumb bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out with the parchment overhang and slicing. I know the wait is hard, but cutting them while they're still warm will give you a messy slice and runny jam.

Take a bite, and you'll get layers of buttery, nutty crumble with that toasty browned butter flavor running through every crumb, the delicate crunch of sliced almonds on top, and a thick ribbon of sweet-tart strawberry guava jam in the middle. These bars are the perfect way to bring tropical flavors into a cozy, bakery-style treat.

For another tropical treat, check out these pineapple coconut bars and passion fruit caramel chocolate bars!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can prepare the jam up to 1 week in advance and make the crumble the day before.
• Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

More strawberry dessert recipes

Looking for more strawberry desserts? Try these: