Recipe Background
Raspberry Jam Bars combine a crunchy pecan crust with sweet-tart jam.
Raspberry Jam Bars are a nostalgic treat that balance sweetness and tang in each bite. The rich, buttery crust made with pecans and coconut flakes offers a delicate crunch that contrasts beautifully with the smooth layer of raspberry jam. When you first mix the crust ingredients, the aroma of toasted nuts and oats wafts through the kitchen, making this recipe as delightful to prepare as it is to eat.
One technique to elevate these bars is ensuring the crust is pressed evenly into the baking dish, which helps create a firm base that won't crumble under the jam's luscious weight. Sprinkling the remaining dough over the jam brings an inviting, rustic look, with pockets of golden-brown peeking through. Once baked, the bars need ample cooling time to set properly; patience here rewards you with clean, satisfying slices.
Sharing these bars is a joy in itself. Each piece, with its ruby gloss of jam, invites togetherness—perfect for an afternoon gathering or a casual dessert with coffee. Their vibrant color and inviting aroma make Raspberry Jam Bars a charming addition to any table, easy as they are to craft and share.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pecans
- 1 cup all-purpose flour leveled
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 heaping teaspoon salt
- 1/5 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup raspberry jam
Directions
- Adjust a rack to the middle of the oven.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cover the bottom and overlap the sides of an 8-inch square baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Then, coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
- Add the pecans, the flour, the coconut flakes, the rolled oats, the salt, and the baking powder to a food processor and blend until it forms a fine, sand-like texture.
- In a large bowl, add the butter, the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar and beat with an electric hand mixture until light and creamy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg to the sugar mixture and beat until well-combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined and sticky.
- Use an offset spatula to evenly spread 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Use a spoon to spread the raspberry jam over the dough, leaving a 1/4-inch border bare.
- Use your clean fingers to pinch off the remaining dough mixture in 1-inch clumps, and evenly scatter the dough clumps over the top of the raspberry jam. It's fine for it to not be completely covered.
- Bake the bars until the topping is golden-brown, about 35 minutes.
- Let the bars cool on a wire rack, about 15 minutes.
- Use the aluminum foil overhang to lift the bars out of the pan and onto a flat surface.
- Pull the aluminum foil away from the sides of the bars and let them sit until they are completely cool, about 2 hours.
- Cut into serving-size pieces and serve.
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