Simple Blackberry Sangria Crumble Bars: I put wine in homemade jam, and I’m never going back.

Yum

In today’s edition of the Boozy Bakes Series (number 12!), I explore a cocktail suggested by my friend Angela: the Sangria. The result is these simple blackberry sangria crumble bars! My mom and I love a good sangria, but it did pose a challenge when I started considering how to incorporate that flavor profile into a dessert. Fruit: easy. But…wine?

At the end of all my musing and some fruitless googling, I decided to just make it up as I went along, as usual. I dumped a large amount of red wine in a saucepan with some blackberries and hoped for the best. I cooked this down into a nice sticky homemade jam, threw it into this delicious citrus cookie bar, and made the discovery that cabernet in jam is possibly a genius invention that I should trademark. We ended up with these Blackberry Sangria Crumble Bars, and they are a deliciously easy way to incorporate some of the delicious summer fruit that’s popping up on street corners and in farmer’s markets.

Jump to Recipe

I have a new royal icing obsession, and I can’t stop.

Not interested in my life? Me neither, really. If you’re just looking for this (yummy) recipe, just skip to the next heading.

I got an order last week for some cookies for a first birthday, and the picture they sent sparked a dangerous new obsession. The family wants cookies decorated to look like various Boss Baby images, decorated with royal icing. I agreed to the order, packed my food colorings and piping bags, and went with my husband on a quick trip to Michigan. The order isn’t due until much later in the summer, but the image was pretty intricate, so I decided to practice and make a small batch while I was at home. I wanted to have easy access to my Dad, who is an artist and is very good at these sorts of crafty projects.

However, first I decided to watch some youtube videos about royal icing.

This was a huge mistake.

It was like falling into a black pit that I couldn’t crawl out of. These decorating videos are so M E S M E R I Z I N G. The autoplay just kept going and going, and I couldn’t stop. I’m not sure exactly what it is about these decorating videos. Is it that they are satisfying? Is it meditative? Am I just strange and have an addictive personality?

I’ve probably watched ten hours of royal icing videos, especially after discovering the search feature on Instagram. My obsession does not appear to be abating quickly. To my husband, who was forced to sit in silence as he drove me home from Michigan while I stared, completely transfixed, at my phone screen for four straight hours: I’m sorry. This is why we can’t have nice things.

Oh well, at least I’m inspired to make my own cookies. I’m sure I’ll have some recipes and decorating suggestions for you all shortly. My first (rather clumsy) attempt at the boss baby cookies:

Blackberry Sangria Crumble Bars: the elements.

Now, I know what you’re thinking. Crumble bars aren’t my usual style. I tend to lean into cupcakes, layer cakes, and unnecessarily complicated desserts and whatnot. However, with the summer heat, I haven’t been in the mood to be sweating over a hot stove. I figured other people might be feeling the same, and an easy cookie bar might be a welcome addition to everyone’s summer recipe box.

The jam was the first order of business. I cooked down some fresh blackberries with a hearty dose of dry red wine, a little sugar, a dash of cornstarch for thickening, and of course a pinch of salt. After chilling down this jam, stopping myself from eating the entire pan with a spoon while mindlessly watching cookie videos was a challenge, but I persevered in order to bring you this recipe. You’re welcome.

I also knew I wanted some sort of blondie base for my blackberry sangria crumble bars. After consulting with my friend Jake, it was decided that it needed a crunch element, so I folded in some pecans. I perused a sangria recipe, and realized that I needed a citrus element, so I added some orange zest as well. The orange was a nice background flavor in the finished bars. If you don’t like orange, lime would also definitely work with these bars.

The blondie is thick and chewy, and packed with orange zest flavor. It is honestly good all on it’s own if you aren’t on the mood for multiple layers! I use a similar blondie in my raspberry fudge bars, if blackberries aren’t your thing.

The crumble layer…you really just dump it on?

The answer is yes.

(Matt: people are going to look at these photos and think you do all your cooking outside, which is weird. Me: no, they’ll look at these photos and remark on the excellent lighting! Matt: …no, they won’t.)

The crumble layer is the most informal part of this recipe, and it was a little counter-intuitive for me. However, it is so easy and such a delicious finishing touch. It’s just a mixture of cold butter, and dry ingredients that you rub together with your fingers. You literally just crumble it over the top. That’s it. It felt awfully casual to me, but in the end it was definitely the right touch. You bake the whole thing together in one layer, and voila, beautiful blackberry sangria crumble bars.

Some other current obsessions that might keep you entertained this summer:

The song “Kiss the Air.” Grab your kleenex before listening, because the unparalleled Caissie Levy will tear your heart out and stomp all over it with her delicate voice.

“The Fifth Season,” a beautiful and thought-provoking book series that will keep you awake at night and on tenterhooks waiting for all of the resolutions. Yes Katie you were RIGHT, I LOVED it, and I’m SORRY I didn’t read it before book club.

“Baking with Kim Joy,” one of my all-time favorite cookbooks. These recipes are super creative, quirky, and generally too adorable to be real. I love the way she makes complex recipes achievable for home bakers.

What are you all reading/listening to/watching this summer to keep you entertained when you’re taking a break from the heat?