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The Best Strawberry Shortcake Bars with a Buttery Crust

Strawberry Shortcake Bars — sliced bars with golden buttery crust, bright strawberry filling, and a smooth vanilla glaze on a serving platter.
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Bright, buttery shortbread-style bars topped with a juicy strawberry layer and finished with a silky vanilla drizzle.

Ingredients

Scale

Crust & crumb topping

  • 1 ¾ cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 tbsp (45 g) packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter, melted (or use unsalted butter + a pinch of salt)
  • 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract

Strawberry filling

  • 3 cups (about 400 g) fresh strawberries, chopped (see note on cutting)
  • 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp (9 g) all-purpose flour

Vanilla glaze

  • ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) light or heavy cream
  • ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Combine dry crust ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar (and a pinch of salt if you used unsalted butter). Break up any brown-sugar clumps so the mix is even.

  2. Add butter and vanilla. Pour the melted butter and vanilla into the dry mix. Stir until the mixture starts to clump, then use your fingertips to rub it into coarse, sandy crumbs.

  3. Form the base. Reserve about two-thirds of the crumb mix for the bottom layer. Press that portion firmly and evenly into the prepared pan (a flat spatula or the bottom of a measuring cup works well). Bake the base for 15–20 minutes until it shows a light golden tint. Remove and let it cool slightly.

  4. Make the strawberry filling. In a medium bowl, gently toss the chopped strawberries with the granulated sugar and the tablespoon of flour. The flour helps thicken the juices as the bars bake.

  5. Assemble layers. Spread the strawberry mixture evenly over the warm-ish baked crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the berries, leaving some red peeks showing.

  6. Bake until bubbly. Return the pan to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the strawberry juices bubble and the crumb topping turns golden brown.

  7. Cool fully. Take the pan out and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan so the filling firms up for clean slicing.

  8. Make the glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar with the cream and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled bars.

  9. Slice and serve. Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan. Cut into 12 squares and enjoy.

Notes

  • Notes & tips
    • Cutting the berries: Quarter each medium strawberry, then halve the quarters if you want pieces that hold up and distribute evenly (this yields roughly the same piece count as the original method).
    • If your butter is unsalted: Add a pinch of table salt to the dry ingredients to balance the sweetness.
    • Thickening the filling: If berries look especially juicy, add an extra ½ tsp of flour or a light dusting of cornstarch to prevent runniness.
    • Glazing: Make sure the bars are completely cool before drizzling; warm bars will cause the glaze to melt and run.
  • Storage
    • Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
    • Refrigerator: Store covered for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving, or warm briefly in a low oven.
    • Freezer: Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and add fresh glaze if desired.

Find it online: https://irmacooks.com/best-strawberry-shortcake-bars-with-a-buttery-crust/