Easy Blueberry Yogurt Bars (Egg-Free)

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

1¼ cups (150 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
½ level teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt (use ½ teaspoon if baking with unsalted butter)

Wet Ingredients

½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, softened
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar (see note 1)
¼ cup (60 g) plain unflavored yogurt (see note 2)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (see variations in notes)
1 tablespoon (15 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

Add-ins

½ cup (50 g) fresh or frozen blueberries (see note 3 if using frozen)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) fan or 360°F (180°C) conventional.
Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang for easy removal.

Mix the dry ingredients

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Mix the wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, use a spoon or electric hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes.
Mix in the yogurt, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

Combine wet and dry

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and start mixing.
Before the flour is fully mixed in, gently fold in the blueberries.
If the dough gets too thick, it becomes harder to stir in the blueberries without overmixing. Overmixing can lead to dense bars. Stir just until combined.

Spread and bake

Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan. Smooth the top with a spoon or butter knife. If the dough sticks, wet the spoon slightly with water.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool and slice

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes.
Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars out, then slice with a sharp knife.

Storage

Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerate for up to 6 days.
Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

1. Light brown sugar: Adds softness and a caramel-like flavor. White sugar can be used instead, but the bars will be slightly firmer and have a lighter flavor.

2. Yogurt: Use plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat, not Greek). Sour cream or buttermilk can be used instead. Buttermilk creates a thinner batter, so the texture may vary. Greek yogurt is too thick and can make the batter dry or heavy. Flavored or sweetened yogurt affects taste and texture. Use plain, unsweetened yogurt for best results.

3. Frozen blueberries: To avoid streaking and excess moisture, don’t fold frozen blueberries into the batter. Instead, spread the batter into the pan first, then scatter the frozen berries on top and gently press them in. This keeps the texture light and the color clean.

Variations to try:

Blueberry white chocolate bars: Fold in 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips. Sprinkle a few on top before baking.
Blueberry almond bars: Add ¼ teaspoon almond extract to the batter and top with slivered almonds before baking.
Mixed berries: Swap some or all of the blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries. If using frozen berries, press them into the top instead of folding them in.

See the post above for extra tips and photos of the main steps.

Nutrition

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