How to Make Texas Persimmon Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Learn how to make rich and delicious Texas Persimmon Crumble Bars. They’re the perfect treat for the end of summer!

You might be asking, “What are Texas Persimmons?”

If you live in Texas, you’ve probably seen them around. They grow everywhere and the big black berries are hard to miss.

To learn all about them and how to make Texas Persimmon jam, click HERE.

Watch the Video too!

Let’s jump right into the recipe!

Let’s Make the Filling for Texas Persimmon Crumble Bars

You’ll need about 8 cups of berries for this recipe.

Rinse and mash the berries through a fine, mesh sieve. You should end up with pretty thick, dark juice.

You need at least 4 cups of the juice so keep mashing berries until you get the right amount.

Bring the juice to a boil and then turn the heat down to simmer for about 20 minutes or until the juice has reduced by half.

This is going to be messy because ever little bubble that pops send tiny drops of the juice everywhere and they really stand out because they’re so inky black.

Make sure to stir frequently so it doesn’t burn and doesn’t boil over. I walked away from mine for a few minutes and experienced the consequences.

Now you should have 2 cups of the thick juice.

Mix in 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

To make the filling even thicker so the bars will hold together when you slice them, make a cornstarch slurry.

In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of water with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Always do this in a separate bowl first so you can avoid lumps of cornstarch.

Pour your slurry into the juice and mix until the until you see it thicken.

Move that off the heat while you prepare the crumble part.

Now Let’s Make Your Texas Persimmon Bars Crumbly

Combine 1 cup of melted butter with 1 cup of brown sugar.

Mix in 1 1/4 cups of flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Now add 3/4 cup of rolled oats(old-fashioned) and 3/4 cup of instant oats (quick oats).

I like to use both kinds of oats because it gives you the ideal texture.

Too much instant oats and it could be gummy, too much rolled oats and it’ll be chunky.

This blend is perfect.

Let’s Put the Bars Together!

Press 3/4 of the mixture into a 9×13 pan.

Really pack it in so you get a good base for your bars. I use a measuring cup that has a flat bottom.

Spread the persimmon filling evenly over the base and then sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Let cool and then slice into squares.

Enjoy!

What Do They Taste Like?

Texas persimmons have a unique but mild flavor on their own. There are hints of melon and prune, but mostly they just taste sweet with no tartness at all.

In these bars, you get a more concentrated flavor and mixed with the cinnamon and oats, it tastes like the best oatmeal raisin cookies you’ve ever had!

To kick it up a notch, use my Chocolate Texas Persimmon Pudding Recipe for the filling. Click HERE for the printable recipe.

Just make sure to thicken it with the cornstarch slurry as well.

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Print the recipe for later!