Raspberry Jam Bars
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Sweet, tart and gooey, these raspberry jam bars are a happy marriage of blondies and jam.
Sweet, tart, and gooey, these raspberry jam bars are a happy marriage of blondies and jam, and I love them just as much with my morning coffee as I do for dessert. 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. Feel free to swap out the raspberry jam for your favorite flavor but avoid anything too sweet—tart-flavored jams like cherry, blackberry or raspberry work best. Also, keep in mind that these bars are quick to throw together but they do take a few hours to set up and cool before cutting.
“Great recipe! Super easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. A double batch was devoured by 8 adults.”
What You’ll Need To Make Raspberry Jam Bars
- Pecans: Add crisp and nutty flavor to the top of the bars.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and helps bind the ingredients.
- Unsweetened coconut flakes: Offer a hint of tropical flavor and nice texture contrast.
- Old-fashioned rolled oats: Contribute chewiness and heartiness to the bars.
- Baking powder: Helps the bars rise and achieve a light texture.
- Butter: Adds richness and moisture to the bars.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and aids in browning.
- Light brown sugar: Provides a very subtle caramel-like flavor and chewiness.
- Egg: Acts as a binder and adds moisture.
- Raspberry jam: Adds tart, fruity sweetness, and lovely color to the bars.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To begin: 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 and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar.
Beat until light and creamy, a few minutes.
Add the egg.
Beat until well combined.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture.
Beat on low speed until just combined.
Place 2/3 of the dough over 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 ¼-inch space between the jam and the sides of the baking dish so the bars won’t stick quite so much 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. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Feel free to swap out the raspberry jam for your favorite flavor but avoid anything too sweet—tart jams like cherry, blackberry, or raspberry work best.
Yes, they can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in a covered container at room temperature.
Yes, they freeze nicely for up to 2 months. Prior to freezing, let them cool completely and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the bars from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Yes, you can replace either of these ingredients with an equal amount of another ingredient that does not need to be avoided, such as the oats, nuts, or coconut.
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Raspberry Jam Bars
Sweet, tart and gooey, these raspberry jam bars are a happy marriage of blondies and jam.
Ingredients
- ½ cup pecans
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with a knife
- ½ cup unsweetened coconut flakes
- ¼ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- Heaping ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup raspberry jam
Instructions
- 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 ⅔ 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 ¼-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.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: These bars can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let them cool completely and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the bars from the container and let them come to room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 bar
- Calories: 192
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 53 mg
- Cholesterol: 27 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These raspberry jam bars are amazing! I used walnuts because that’s what I had in my pantry. I also reduced the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup. They were a perfect after dinner dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Keeper recipe. Thank you!
Excellent anytime treat! I’ve made this multiple times, with different jams/ preserves & Wisconsin cherry butter( yummy) raspberry jam is my favorite This recipe brings back memories of ones my mother baked as an after school snack! Thanks
Exactly what I’ve been longing for ever since I ate one at a holiday party and was never able to get the recipe. Definitely can’t eat just one!
This recipe is fabulous and I can’t wait to make them again for one of our Friday night gatherings. Definitely can’t eat just one!
it tastes AMAZING !! I got a lot of requests from my family to make it again and even some asked for the recipe, I came here to write a comment while making a second batch of it since it was a roaring success !!
As someone who is allergic to nuts and dislikes coconut, is there a way to remove those ingredients from the recipe? More flour or something else?
I’d replace the nuts and coconut with additional (equal amounts) of flour and oats.
This recipe is HEAVEN. Bars came out perfect. I doubled the recipe into a 9X13 pan, reduced the granulated sugar by 1/4c (used 3/4c granualted plus 1/2c brown) and par baked the bottom for 15 minutes – as per a few suggestions in the comments. I wanted a firmer, more shortbread-y base. It was freaking FANTASTIC! Also – I mixed about 1/4 c oats into the remaining topping before sprinkling it over. I made a homemade raspberry jam for this too, which was so much work but it was worth it. Using this recipe with a store bought jam (I like crofters seedless raspberry the best) would be just as good. These bars are an 11/10. If you want raspberry bars, but aren’t sure if this is “the recipe” to try – I am here to tell you: MAKE THEM!!
Made this for a group of people tonight. Doubled the recipe in a 9 x 13. Bonne Maman raspberry preserves, toasted unsweetened coconut. Pre-baked the bottom for 15 minutes. I think it was in the oven for a total of about 35 to 40 minutes. Absolutely delicious! It’s so so easy. They were SUCH a hit and I will definitely be making these again! I’ll probably bake a whole pan just for myself lol. Like many others have said, I never ever write reviews, but your recipes never let me down! I know any recipe from you is going to be perfect. One of my favorites is your veggie crack recipe. At least that’s what I call it! Thank you for all of your amazing recipes!
❤️
Sonja, what is the veggie crack please?
Yes, what is the veggie crack recipe?
I’ll let the commenter weigh in if she see’s this, but I believe she may be referring to this salad. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Great recipe. Super easy to make and a real crowd pleaser. I have made this twice, once as written and then for a group of friends that included a pre-diabetic and a vegan. To accommodate for diets, I used vegan butter, subbed in flax egg, and used allulose for the white sugar (I still used regular brown sugar – so it was lower sugar, not no sugar) and Smuckers low sugar strawberry spread. I couldn’t tell a difference and a double batch was devoured by 8 adults.
Excellent recipe! I had some strawberry jam to use up so found this recipe and it was perfect!! I made some to take to my family when I went to visit and they loved it! So delicious – will be making it again for sure!