Blueberry Oat Bar - Starbucks Inspired

Blueberry Oat Bars (Starbucks Inspired)

I met my friend Stacey for coffee at Starbucks recently and she got the Blueberry Oat Bar - she said it was her favorite treat. I thought...this needs to be made in my kitchen!

Shortly after our coffee, I stopped in Starbucks and picked up one (you know, research and all). I took a few photos (see below).

An actual Starbucks Blueberry Oat Bar

This is the ingredient list from Starbuck's website: blueberries, wheat flour, brown sugar, palm oil shortening, butter (cream [from milk]), rolled oats, organic tapioca syrup, sugar, oats, water, whole eggs, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, cornstarch), rice starch, organic natural flavor, stabilizer (sodium alginate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, calcium sulfate), sea salt, citric acid.

I like making it myself so I can avoid the palm oil shortening. The recipe is adapted from the recipe on Food.com by lilsweetie.

This is one of those easy bar recipes where the top and bottom are the same dough. It's like having a reversible jacket. Convenient.

You make a jam-like filling with blueberries, sugar and orange juice. Plan this one out - you'll need to cool the blueberry filling before using it.

The recipe calls for fresh blueberries but I used frozen blueberries with success. They aren't too sweet, a little soft (not like a crunchy granola bar or anything like that) and is filled with blueberry and oat goodness (well, and a little butter and sugar). Anyway, it's great with coffee or tea.

Recipe: Blueberry Oat Bar - Starbucks Inspired
Adapted from the recipe on Food.com by lilsweetie

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats (the original recipe calls for all quick-cooking oats, but I like the texture of old fashioned oats in the mix)
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour (140 grams)
1 cup brown sugar (200 grams)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)
3 cups blueberries (original recipe calls for fresh blueberries, but I used frozen blueberries with success)
1/2 cup sugar (100 grams)
1/3 cup orange juice (I used fresh squeezed)
4 teaspoons cornstarch (This is 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon)

Create the filling in advance as it needs to cool. In saucepan, bring blueberries, sugar and orange juice to boil; reduce heat and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch and boil, stirring, until thickened, about 1 minute. Pour into a bowl. Place plastic wrap directly on surface; refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour or up to 1 day before using. (I found that it is best when the final product should end up like a jam consistency).

Base/Topping: In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the butter to form a crumbly mixture. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumbs, and pat the rest evenly into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Spread the blueberry mixture over the base. Crumble the reserved amount of the base/topping over the blueberry mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F until light golden, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool completely on rack before cutting. Store in the refrigerator. And try not to eat a whole tray.