Blueberry Pie Bars
Blueberry pie bars are a delicious dessert that looks pretty without the headache of trying to roll out a round pie crust or having to break out the forks.

One of the best parts of post-Thanksgiving leftovers (in my humble opinion) is going to the fridge and grabbing a piece of pie to just eat with your hands over the sink.

It’s not the most elegant move, but it’s definitely one of my favorite things.

I was thinking about that experience of getting to just enjoy a piece of pie without a fork and plate when I made some fabulous pie bars recently.

I was looking for a dessert to take to an outdoor event, and while I knew there would be forks there for enjoying potato salad, I thought it would be nice to have a more of a finger food for the crowd to enjoy.

The recipe I tried comes from Cambrea Gordon’s blog “Cambrea Bakes.” You can find the original post at https://cambreabakes.com/blueberry-pie-bars. I added spices in my version.

Blueberry Pie Bars
Print Recipe

Blueberry Pie Bars

Blueberry pie bars are a delicious dessert that looks pretty without the headache of trying to roll out a round pie crust or having to break out the forks.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: allspice, bars, blueberry, brown sugar, canned cinnamon rolls, fresh blueberries, lemon juice, pie crust

Ingredients

  • Double pie crust
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 egg beaten
  • sugar for sprinkling on the crust

Instructions

  • Press one of the pie crusts evenly into the bottom of an eight-by-eight-inch baking pan.
  • Put the pan, along with the other crust, into the fridge while you prepare the filling.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  • Add the blueberries, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, allspice and salt in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring regularly until the mixture comes to a boil.
  • While the mixture simmers, add the cornstarch, along with one tablespoon of water, to a small bowl and stir to dissolve the cornstarch. Add it into the blueberry mixture, and continue to stir often, letting it cook for a few more minutes until the mixture is thickened.
  • Remove it from the heat, and set it aside.
  • Bake the bottom pie crust for 20 to 30 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
  • Roll out the second crust and cut it into about one-half-inch strips.
  • Weave the dough into a lattice, placing it on parchment paper and trim the lattice to an eight-by-eight square. Slide the parchment onto a baking sheet and put it in the freezer.
  • When the bottom crust is done, spread the blueberry filling evenly on top and place the lattice on top.
  • Use a pastry brush to coat the top of the lattice with the beaten egg, and then sprinkle the top liberally with sugar.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling.
  • Let the bars cool completely before slicing. Store the bars in an airtight container.

These were really good, and they were gorgeous, too. My container might have been about a third empty before the burgers were even off the grill, thanks to enthusiastic party-goers.

The fresh blueberry flavor was perfect with the light, crispy crust.

And they were a great treat to eat with your hands. Even better, I was able to enjoy a bar without ever having to lean over the sink or worry about making a mess.

What a great way to savor a piece of pie.

This piece first appeared in print July 16, 2026.

Spice Up Your Life is a weekly newspaper column written by Lindsey Young in south central Kansas. If you are interested in sponsoring this column, please contact us through the “Contact Lindsey” link at the top of the page.