Enhanced Blackberry Oat Bars

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, cold and cubed)
• All-purpose flour (1 cup)
• Rolled oats (1 cup)
• Brown sugar (1/2 cup, packed)
• Granulated sugar (1/4 cup)
• Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (1/4 teaspoon)
• Lemon juice (1 tablespoon)
• Blackberries (2 cups, fresh)
• Powdered sugar (1 cup (for glaze))
• Water or lemon juice (2-3 tablespoons (for glaze))

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the blackberries, granulated sugar, and lemon juice. Gently toss until the blackberries are well coated. Set aside to marinate for about 10 minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
4. Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
5. Press half of the oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the crust.
6. Spread the marinated blackberry mixture evenly over the crust, ensuring the berries are distributed well.
7. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the blackberry layer, pressing lightly to adhere.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the blackberry filling is bubbling.
9. Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the baking dish before cutting into bars. This will help the filling set.
10. For an added treat, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough water or lemon juice to achieve a smooth glaze. Drizzle over the cooled bars before serving.