Crunchy Oat Apricot Bars Recipes

APRICOT OAT BARS

Steps:

• Put an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 13 by 2-inch metal baking dish with vegetable oil cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper with vegetable oil cooking spray and set aside.
• Filling: In a small bowl, mix together the jam and the apricots. Set aside.
• Crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Stir in the oats and walnuts. Add the butter, egg and vanilla and stir until incorporated.
• Using a fork or clean fingers, lightly press half of the crust mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Using a spatula, spread the filling over the crust leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge of the pan. Cover the filling 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.

CRUNCHY OAT APRICOT BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Place flour and next 4 ingredients (flour through vanilla) in a food processor, and pulse 4 to 5 times or until oat mixture resembles coarse meal. Press half of oat mixture into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Spread apricot preserves over oat mixture. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over preserves, and gently press. Bake mixture at 350° for 35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cool bars completely in pan on a wire rack.

RASPBERRY PIE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and line with parchment paper so that there is a 2-inch overhang on the two long sides.
• In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and pulse to fine crumbs. Pulse a few more times until some of the crumbs start to come together, but don't overprocess; the dough should be somewhat crumbly. (You can also mix the dough in a bowl using two knives or a pastry cutter.)
• Press dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Prick dough all over with a fork. Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack. You can bake the crust up to 6 hours ahead, or use it while it's still hot.
• To prepare the filling, in a mixing bowl, gently toss together raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and zest, and salt.
• While the crust is baking, make the crumb topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, pecans, nutmeg and salt. Stir in melted butter, pinching the mixture with your fingers, to make 1/2-inch crumbs.
• Using the back of a spoon, an offset spatula or a pastry brush, spread jam in an even layer on top of the crust, going all the way to the edges. Evenly spread raspberry mixture on top of jam. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the raspberry layer, keeping some larger clumps.
• Bake until the topping is golden brown and the filling is slightly bubbling along the sides, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• To serve, use a sharp knife to release edges. Using parchment overhang, lift and transfer to a cutting board and cut into 24 squares.