Raspberry Jam Bars
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Sweet, tart and gooey, these raspberry jam bars are a happy marriage of blondies and jam—and they’re delicious any time of day!
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.
“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. If you’d like to omit the nuts, replace with an equal amount of oats.
- 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. Feel free to swap it out for your favorite flavor but avoid anything too sweet—tart jams like cherry, blackberry, or raspberry work best.
- 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 and 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 15 minutes. Use the foil overhang to lift them out, then pull the foil away from the sides to prevent sticking. Cool completely, then cut into 16 bars. Store at room temperature in a covered container for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage.
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Raspberry Jam Bars
This raspberry jam bar recipes comes together with minimal effort, and the bars taste just as good as they look!
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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I’ve made this recipe so many time and it never fails to impress everyone
I have never written a review although I should…all your recipes are 5 stars. These jam bars are incredible. I used fig preserves this time and they were better than my fig newton recipe. You are are true gift to so many…thank you.
Thank you for another fabulous recipe! I will definitely be making this again and again! Your recipes are so well written and easy to follow, if others are fortunate enough to be sharing with us they are always impressed. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I doubled the recipe…so easy and delicious 😋
Hi Jenn! I made these this past weekend, and they were a total hit! Followed the recipe exactly and they came out fabulous! Not surprised though, all of your recipes are amazing. Thanks for doing what you’re doing!
I’ve made these multiple times with different jams and they are a hit every time!
Question – I want to make a blueberry lemon version. I have the blueberry jam, just can’t decide how to best add the lemon. Any ideas?
Hi Laura, so glad you like these and that you’ve been experimenting with different jams. I’d add lemon zest to the flour/butter mixture. A teaspoon or two would work well. I’d love to hear what you think if you try it!
These are absolutely delicious! I used blackberry jam and sweetened coconut, since that’s what I had. Also added a splash of vanilla. I pre-baked the bottom for 15 minutes, since I read that in the comments, and let it cool before adding the jam. I think it was helpful. Next time I will also warm up the jam to make the spreading easier. My husband said it was one of the best things I’ve ever made. This will be a regular treat in our house! (Already had 2 for breakfast!)
Yesssss! Made these with my homemade raspberry freezer jam – local fab berries. Just incredible texture and great flavor. Super easy! I did wrap well and freeze some for about a week. They were good but not nearly as swoon worthy as the fresh baked. Avoid overloading them with too much jam like I did! (My friends didn’t complain)
I have made so many versions of shortbread preserve bars and fruit crumble bars and this one is one of the best! It has a great texture, the bake time is spot on and it’s really easy. The directions are very good. Only change is that I added some vanilla.
Hello,
Right now, these raspberry jam bars are baking in the oven. So far this week, I have also prepared the following of your recipes: salmon cakes, tartar sauce, chicken cacciatore, asparagus with peas, cheddar soda bread, and strawberry cake. Not all for the same meal!!
All turned out great, but I especially enjoyed the asparagus with peas and the cheddar soda bread. I really appreciate your photos of each step of a recipe so I know what to aim for.
THANK YOU.
Feebee Becker
Hi Feebee, thanks for letting me know about the success you’ve had with the recipes — it made my day! 😊