Buttery Guava Crumble Bars
Supremely buttery Guava Bars, made with guava paste sandwiched between layers of crumbly, lemon zest infused dough that melts in your mouth. These are incredibly easy to make with 6 simple ingredients.
I have yet to meet a person who doesn’t love these guava bars. They’re one of those desserts that require no explanation or convincing.
Typically when I leave a plate of these out on the counter, they end up disappearing within minutes.
Guava paste has all the fruity, floral notes of fresh guavas, paired with a sweetness and richness from the added sugar. Just like berry jam, it’s hard not to love.
These bars feature guava paste or jam sandwiched between layers of a truly spectacular dough (inspired by berry crumbles I ate growing up). We’re adding a dash of vanilla and lemon zest to compliment the fruitiness. And from there it’s as easy as layering everything together, baking and slicing!
Grocery List
If you’re lucky enough to have a bountiful guava tree, you can make the guava paste yourself. Otherwise grabbing a block from the store makes this recipe super easy!
Step by Step
Guava Paste vs. Guava Jam
You can make this recipe with either guava paste (for thicker, more structured bars) or guava jam (for softer, looser bars).
If you end up going with guava jam, definitely let the bars cool on the countertop before transferring them to the fridge to chill overnight. This will allow them enough time to set completely, before you slice them into squares.
More Guava Recipes
If you’re a guava lover, I bet you’ll enjoy these:
Buen provecho,
Buttery Guava Crumble Bars
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9–16 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Cuban, Latin
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Supremely buttery Guava Bars, made with guava paste sandwiched between layers of crumbly, lemon zest infused dough that melts in your mouth. These are incredibly easy to make with 6 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 package of guava paste, sliced into strips (or 1 cup guava jam*)
Instructions
- Prep oven and baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350*F and line a square baking dish with parchment paper.
- Make the crumble mixture. Cream butter, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest together in a stand mixer (or bowl with a spatula or hand mixer). Add flour all at once and continue to beat until flour is incorporated and a crumbly dough forms.
- Form the bars. Take 3/4 of the dough and press into the base of the baking dish until compact layer forms. Arrange the slices of guava paste over top before crumbling the remaining dough over top.
- Bake, cool and slice. Bake 35-45 minutes or until the top turns light golden in color. Cool the bars before slicing and enjoying!
Notes
If using guava jam: Spread the jam in a layer over the crumb mixture before continuing as directed in instructions. Note that the jam will produce a less structured, softer bar. I recommend letting them set in the fridge overnight before slicing.