Ingredients
Scale
For the Crust and Topping:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 1½ cups apricot preserves
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional but recommended)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal later.
- Make the Crumble Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until evenly distributed.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, work the butter into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. This should take about 3-4 minutes. You can also use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour mixture.
- Form the Crust: Reserve about 1½ cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of your prepared pan. Use the bottom of a measuring cup or your hands to pack it down well—a firm crust prevents a soggy bottom.
- Prepare the Filling: In a small bowl, stir together the apricot preserves, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of flour. The flour helps thicken the filling slightly and prevents it from being too runny.
- Assemble: Spread the apricot mixture evenly over the pressed crust layer, leaving about a ¼-inch border around the edges. Use a spatula to spread it gently—you don’t want to disturb the crust layer.
- Add the Topping: Sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture evenly over the apricot filling. Don’t press it down—just let it sit loosely on top for that perfect crumbly texture.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
- Cool Completely: This is crucial! Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack for at least 2 hours. The bars need this time to set properly, or they’ll be too soft to cut cleanly.
- Cut and Serve: Once completely cool, use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire bar out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut into 24 squares. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for the neatest edges
Notes
- For extra flavor, add ½ teaspoon of almond extract to the crust mixture along with the vanilla.
- If your apricot preserves are very chunky, you can pulse them a few times in a food processor for a smoother filling.
- The bars will firm up significantly as they cool, so be patient—cutting them warm will result in messy, crumbly bars.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/24 of recipe)
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg