Raspberry Oatmeal Bars from Scratch
Raspberry oatmeal bars are layers of shortbread crust, raspberry preserves and oatmeal crumble. They are the perfect balance of buttery and sweet!
Raspberry crumb bars are my favorite dessert bar for summer. The sweet yet tart raspberry preserves are sandwiched between a buttery oatmeal crust and crumble. They are incredibly easy to make and loved by many!
Why this recipe works: The crust and crumble come from the same mixture and are made in one bowl. The raspberry preserves can be store-bought and swapped for different flavors to make strawberry oatmeal bars (or you can use blueberry!).
How to make raspberry oatmeal bars
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine crumble ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix together flour, oats, chopped almonds, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and almond extract. Mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand, about 2 minutes.
- Bake the crust first: Press half the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake for 20 minutes.
- Layer remaining ingredients: Spread preserves over baked crust. Add a few fresh raspberries on top. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over the raspberry layer.
- Bake the bars: Bake raspberry bars for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow bars to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into squares.
Helpful tips for this recipe
- When the crust bakes, keep the remaining crumble mixture in the refrigerator so the butter doesn’t get too warm.
- No fresh raspberries on hand? Omit them and increase the raspberry preserves/jam to 1 cup.
- If you have a nut allergy, you can leave out the almond extract and swap the chopped almonds out for more oats. (You can also use pecans or walnuts!)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, I love swapping out the preserves for strawberry or blueberry flavor. This recipe is versatile.
Make sure your butter is still cool when you cut it into 1/2-inch pieces. If it becomes too soft, the ingredients will make a dough. Try placing the dough in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Then use your fingers to add more oats to to the mixture until it’s crumbly.
Yes, after the bars have cooled, remove the whole bar (uncut) from the pan. Wrap the bar in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature, cutting and serving.
Related recipes
Whether it’s raspberries or a dessert with a good crumble, here are some recipes I think you should try next:
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Get the Recipe: Raspberry Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (187 g) all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ cups (125 g) rolled oats
- ½ cup (55 g) finely chopped almonds, (or pecans)
- ⅓ cup (66 g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup (12 Tablespoons or 170 g) unsalted butter,, softened, but still cool, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract, (optional)
- ¾ cup (225 g) raspberry preserves
- ¼ cup fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), combine flour, oats, chopped almonds, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt. Mix for 30 seconds until thoroughly combined. With the mixer on low, add the butter and almond extract (if using). Mix until the mixture resembles coarse sand (about 2 minutes).
- Transfer half the mixture to prepared pan. Use your hands or the back of a measuring cup to press mixture evenly into the bottom to form the crust. Bake crust for 20 minutes or until golden (keep the oven on).
- Spread preserves over baked crust using an offset spatula. Add a few fresh raspberries on top. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over the raspberry layer.
- Bake raspberry bars for 30 to 35 minutes or until the raspberries bubble and the top is golden brown. Allow bars to cool completely before removing from pan and cutting into 16 squares.
Notes
- Kitchen scale to accurately weight ingredients.
- Hand mixer or stand mixer to combine ingredients.
- 8-inch by 8-inch baking pan to make the bars in.
