Apricot Oat Bars Recipe

These apricot oat bars are made with an oat and walnut crust pressed around a filling of apricot jam and chopped dried apricots. They bake into chewy, lightly spiced bars. They take about 1 hour 47 minutes with cooling and make 24 bars.

The same crust mixture works as both base and topping. Press half into the pan, spread the filling, then crumble the rest on top. Pressing the bottom layer firmly keeps the bars from falling apart when you cut them.

Mixing chopped dried apricots into the jam gives the filling real texture and stops it from being too loose. Leave a 1/2-inch border when you spread it so it doesn’t leak out the sides as the bars bake.

Apricot Oat Bars Recipe

Author: Hamdi Saidani Cooking Method:Baking Cuisine:American Courses:Dessert

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time: 40 minutesRest time: 40 minutesTotal time:1 hour 50 minutesServings:4 servingsCalories:300 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

These apricot oat bars sandwich a filling of apricot jam and dried apricots between layers of a spiced oat and walnut crust, baked until golden.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

• 1 (13 ounce) jar apricot jam or preserves (about 1 1/4 cups)
  
• 8 dried apricots, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1/3 cup)

For the Crust:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 packed cup light brown sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
  
• 1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts
  
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  
• 1 egg, room temperature, beaten
  
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

Instructions

1. Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x13x2-inch metal baking dish with cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, then spray the parchment too. Set aside.
   
2. Make the filling: In a small bowl, mix the jam and chopped apricots together. Set aside.
   
3. Make the crust: In a large bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and baking soda together. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla, and stir until incorporated.
   
4. Using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press half the crust mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the filling over it with a spatula, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Cover with the remaining crust mixture and gently press to flatten. Bake until light golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 1 hour. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

FAQs

Why use the same mixture for the crust and topping?

It’s a crumble-style bar, so one mixture does both jobs. Half presses into a firm base, and the rest crumbles loosely on top, baking into a craggy crust over the filling.

Why mix dried apricots into the jam?

The chopped dried apricots add chew and real fruit texture to the filling. Jam on its own is too loose and sweet. The dried fruit thickens it and balances it out.

Why leave a border when spreading the filling?

The 1/2-inch border keeps the jam from leaking out the sides and burning onto the pan as the bars bake. The top crust layer also helps seal the edges in.

How do I get clean cuts?

Cool the bars for a full hour first. The filling needs to set and the crust needs to firm up. Lift them out using the parchment overhang, then cut on a board with a sharp knife.

Can I make the apricot jam for the filling myself?

Yes. The filling uses about 1 1/4 cups of apricot jam, which you can make with my Dried Apricot Jam. For another oat-and-fruit bake using dried apricots, try my Apricot-Coconut Squares Recipe.