Raspberry Jam Bars

By Golfwidow7

Made with oats, coconut, and pecans, they have wonderful depth of flavor and texture. Interestingly, the top and bottom layers are made from the same batter but they bake up differently: the bottom is soft and chewy while the top is light and crisp.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pecans
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam

Details

Servings 16
Preparation time 10mins
Cooking time 50mins

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with heavy-duty aluminum foil so that it overlaps the sides and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade, place the pecans, flour, coconut, oats, salt, and baking powder. Blend until the mixture has a fine, sand-like texture. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and creamy, a few minutes. Add the egg and beat until well combined. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low speed until just combined. The dough will be sticky. Place 2/3 of the dough on the bottom of the prepared baking dish, using an offset spatula to spread it into an even layer. (If you don’t have an offset spatula, lightly wet your fingers and press the dough into an even layer.) Spread the jam over the surface of the dough, leaving 1/4-inch space between the jam and the sides of the baking dish so the bars won’t stick to the foil. Pinch off 1-inch clumps of the remaining dough and scatter evenly over top of the jam. The dough won’t cover the entire surface; that’s okay. Bake for about 35 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.

Let the jam bars cool in the baking dish on a rack for about 15 minutes. Using the foil overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and onto the countertop. Pull the foil away from the sides to prevent sticking, and then let sit until completely cool, a few hours. Cut into 16 bars.

Cover the bars with foil and store at room temperature for up to two days. The bars may also be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months.