These apricot jam bars are so very buttery, rich, soft, and chewy! These cookie bars are made using the same dough for the bottom crust and the top crumble to make for an extra easy dessert. You can also use this same recipe to make any jam bars you like!
This recipe has been recently updated to include all new photos and a slightly modified recipe. While I love love love the old version of this recipe, I felt it was a bit more on the drier side and wanted to recraft these bars into something more chewy and soft.
The main difference is in the butter! These bars feature DOUBLE the amount of butter for an all around better texture and richer flavor. A few minor tweaks were also made to the remaining ingredients to account for the additional butter. This was one of the first recipes that I ever crafted, but I'm happy to say it's only gotten better over time!
how to make apricot jam bars
- Start by creaming together softened butter and sugar. Mix your butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Next, add in the eggs and vanilla. Add your eggs in one at a time, making sure to beat well in between each addition. Your mixture will want to separate, but just keep mixing to bring it all together.
- Add your flour, salt, and baking powder. Mix everything together until you no longer see any dry flour. The dough will be QUITE sticky.
- Divide the dough into 2 portions. You'll need about ⅔ of the dough for the bottom crust and ⅓ for the top crumble.
- Working with the ⅔ of dough you portioned out for the bottom crust, spread it into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Take care to ensure you flatten your dough evenly and try not to work it up the sides of your dish (because those portions can burn).
- Spread jam on top of your bottom crust. You can honestly measure with the heart for this part, but I personally like about 1 cup of jam.
- Add flour to your ⅓ of dough. This helps make it crumbly!
- Top your jam layer with the crumb topping. Crumble the dough over the jam layer - it doesn't have to be perfect but try to get it to evenly cover the top. Some jam peeking out is totally fine.
- Bake and cool. You'll know your jam bars are done baking when they turn a very light golden brown on top and the edges are a deeper golden brown color. Cool in the pan before trying to pull it out. You can serve these bars warm (but slicing will be messier) or at room temperature.
apricot jam bar substitutions
Like I mentioned above, you can use any jam you'd like with this recipe. I've tried this with apricot, raspberry, strawberry, and blackberry jam, and it turned out great every time. I'm sure it would also work with other fruit jams, I just haven't tried it myself.
If you wanted to change these bars up a bit, you could also add some unsweetened shredded coconut, rolled oats, or nuts.
Check out these other recipes!
- apricot jam filled sandwich cookies
- fudgy brownies
- classic blondies
- New York style cheesecake bars
- simple powdered sugar icing (perfect topping!)
Lastly, if you made this or any of my recipes, be sure to leave a comment and review below! I love hearing your thoughts! Also tag me on Instagram @eatsdelightfulblog so I can see what you're making.
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Apricot Jam Bars
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars
Description
These apricot jam bars are so very buttery, rich, soft, and chewy! These cookie bars are made using the same dough for the bottom crust and the top crumble to make for an extra easy dessert. You can also use this same recipe to make any jam bars you like!
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 & ¾ cups (355g) + ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (divided)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (340g) apricot jam (or jam of your choice)
- powdered sugar (optional - for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a bit of overhanging parchment paper to make it easier to transfer. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine butter and sugar. Beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs in one at a time, whisking well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix in.
- Add 2 and ¾ cups of flour as well as your baking powder and salt to the butter/egg mixture. Mix until it comes together into a streak free dough.
- Scoop out about ⅔ of the dough and drop it into your prepared baking pan. Use your hands or a spatula to press the dough into an even layer in the bottom of the pan. Spread jam on top of the dough.
- Add the ½ cup of flour to the remaining ⅓ of the dough and mix it in. The dough will still be slightly sticky but it should feel a bit drier and more crumbly - if it's too sticky, mix in 1 to 2 tablespoons more flour.
- Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the jam layer. Lightly flour your fingers if needed to keep the dough from sticking. It's ok if some of the jam is visible on top, but try your best to get the dough crumbled evenly overtop.
- Bake the layered jam bars in the center of your preheated 350°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until the top turns a very light golden brown and the edges are a deeper golden brown color.
- Cool in the pan before pulling it out and slicing. If desired dust some powdered sugar on top before digging in!
Enjoy!
Lynda says
Excellent quick and easy. Will be making on repeat. Thank you!
Mimi says
I'm so happy you liked them Lynda!! ❤️
Kyla says
Hello! Could you freeze these?
Louise says
Oh dear, I looooooved these! I messed up A LOT, but still it came out delicious, especially with some vanilla ice cream. My butter was almost melting, so spreading the bottom layer was trick (my fault!!). To compensate for the top layer, I needed to add more flour than recommended (again, due to the butter, my faaaault). For the filling, I followed your advice to "measure with the heart" otherwise I would have leftovers, and the plan was exactly to use the apricot leftovers. Thanks for the recipe, now I'll purposely buy more apricot for the next time.
Sue R says
I made these and they were a hit! Only change: added 2 cups of Apricot Jam instead of 1 cup. Definitely made it more moist and gave it more flavor. The tops came out a little too light for my taste, so the next time I may put it under the broiler for a minute or two to get it "golden brown & delicious".
Phyllis Beil says
Please give ingredients amounts for an 8X8 baking dish for small/single family.
Vera says
Hi there! Could I make this with whole wheat flour? Would it greatly change the flavor or would I need to add additional moisture? Thanks!
Heather says
Hi if I want to add coconut, how much do I add ?
Mimi says
Hey Heather! I find about 1 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut is the perfect amount, but a little more or a little less is totally fine ❤️
sarah says
nice one hey