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 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.
What You’ll need To Make Raspberry Jam Bars
How To Make Raspberry Jam Bars
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, beat the butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar 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!
You may also like
- Luscious Lemon Bars
- Linzer Cookies
- Lemon Berry Parfaits
- Summer Berry Trifle
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp
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 can be frozen for up to 2 months. Let the 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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Hello, this recipe sounds fab, but I’m unsure of the weights, as in UK we measure ingredients in Imperial or metric rather than in cups, or ‘sticks’ of butter, so I’m reluctant to guess the amounts and make a mess of it.
Hi Susan, The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps and that you enjoy the bars if you make them!
What can I use as a substitute for coconut flakes?
Also do you think this would work with strawberry jam?
Hi G, you can replace the coconut with more nuts or oats. And, yes, this will work with strawberry jam. Enjoy!
If I double recipe can I use a 9×13 pan?
Yes, that should be fine. The bake time may be slightly different, so keep a close eye on it.
So, these are amazing and at the risk of saying that I made something completely different, here goes. I LOVE peanut butter and fruit jam. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, I have fallen in love with marionberry jam. So, I used peanut instead of pecans and added more oats instead of coconut. UH-MAZ-ING!!! Tastes like a peanut butter and jelly bar!! Thank you for another winner!!
Nice. Will make again and experiment like some of the other reviewers did.
These sound wonderful. To make them a little healthier, can I replace the coconut with more oatmeal?
Definitely – enjoy!
These were absolutely delicious – my husband couldn’t stop raving about them. My only adjustment was to toast the pecans and to use toasted unsweetened coconut. I served it with vanilla ice cream – yum! So easy to make as well. I will definitely be adding this to the dessert/snack rotation.
I couldn’t locate my unsweetened coconut flakes, so I used the toasted and sweetened flakes I had on hand. I used what was left of several different berry jams I had in the fridge. The result was absolutely wonderful! I think the dough would be great made into a cookie by adding chocolate chips. Excellent!
Welp. I made these yesterday (substituted cherry jam). They were so good, they became dinner. Now they’re breakfast. They’re sublime. And super-simple to make. Dang, Jenn! THANK YOU!!!
Perfect! I followed your directions using Bonne Maman Mixed Berry Preserves. I made these last night and they’re nearly gone. It’s just the two of us! Thank you for the wonderful tips, techniques and photos for your recipes. You inspire me and make me a better cook.
Made these exactly by the directions using black raspberry jam. They turned out perfectly and my guests loved them. Love, love, love the 8×8 dessert recipes!
Sooo good! One of my husband’s favorites. They come out perfect every time!
I made these for my bridge club probably 3 months ago. They liked them so well they asked me to bring them again. They’re in the oven right now.
These raspberry bars are amazing. My MIL requested that I bring them with me again when we visit for Christmas. The only modification I made was to add white chocolate chips to the jam before adding the dough. This was for my MIL who loves white chocolate. But, I think it added another nice dimension to an already fab treat so I plan to keep adding those.
Hi Jenn, what could one substitute the coconut flakes in the recipe for? More pecans or oats? Or simply more flour?
You can go with either more nuts or oats. Enjoy!
Fabulous bar, I made it with Quince jam. Any jam would be great in this crust.
Hi, I made two batches of these so our family could compare flavors: one, this recipe spread half with raspberry preserves and half with apricot preserves (both Bonne Maman brand) and for the second batch, we used gluten-free flour, half raspberry and half apricot again. Both batches were delicious. The gluten-free didn’t taste any different. I preferred the raspberry over the apricot because it had more flavor. Love these!!
Yesterday when I was looking for Raspberry bar recipes, I was sure I saw one here that used slivered almonds pulsed with flour and oats in the base. It used fresh raspberries and jam in the middle layer.
I thought I saw that you had given credit as you adapted it from another recipe. Love your recipes and trust your recipes.
Hi Val, So glad you like the recipes! The recipe you’re referring to is not mine though — hope you find what you’re looking for! 🙂
I used homemade blackberry and damson plum jam. Delicious flavour. Making again today with homemade nectarine jam. Makes a nice snack with coffee.
I made these over the weekend and served them at a backyard party. They are wonderful; a nice little summer dessert or a morning pastry with your coffee. I left the crust in the oven for about a minute longer than was directed and it was a little overbaked. I’ll be sure to follow directions as written next time.
I think this may be my first recipe review ever. I felt I had to log on and thank you for this beautiful raspberry bar recipe, which is amazing – not too sweet, filling with ta cup of coffee or tea, and adjustable to whatever fruits are in the fridge. I used another favorite recipe, the New York Times’ “Any Fruit Jam” recipe for a mixed raspberry, blueberry and blackberry filing with some strawberry balsamic vinegar. https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014990-any-fruit-jam I will never use another berry bar recipe again. Yours is THAT EXCELLENT. I can’t wait to try it with other fruits/filling flavorings. I have also tried some other recipes on this site (LOVE your pecan squares too!) and finally decided to send in this review. I haven’t bought a new cookbook in years given the superabundance of free, home-cooked recipes online (I am a bit of a cheapwad) but I think it’s time for me to buy your books. Your recipes are reliably delicious, elegant, and make the home cook look like a professional. Thank you so much!! — Melanie
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So glad you liked the bars!
i just made these and it came out great!!! I used vegan butter and GF flour. Flax seed egg instead of real egg. Oats instead of pecans (my partner has some allergies). It was so beautiful and tasty. Best jam bars we’ve ever made! Can’t wait to try with other jams this summer.
Fabulous – especially when I used raspberry jam I made from raspberries grown in my garden. It is a recipe to make over and over!
Hi, Jenn! I make these often and always with rave reviews. One of the things that I and everyone loves about these is that they are not too sweet. I was thinking about making these substituting Dalmatia fig jam or Trader Joe’s Fig Butter (which is really jam, not butter, and more like a paste). I think then this jam bars would taste almost like high quality fig bars … but I am wondering if they would be too sweet with either of these substitutions?
Hi Jane, Glad these have been a hit! I think you can get away with using fig jam or fig butter. I do think the bars will be a little sweeter as the raspberry jam adds a bit of tang. Please LMK how they turn out if you try them this way!
It will be a while before I make them ago, but will let you know, and thanks!
Hi: I did make them this way and just left out a bit of the sugar and they were fine. Now I have a different question: is there a way to make these vegan? Oil instead of butter, etc.? Thanks.
Hi Jane, glad you enjoyed them. To make them vegan, you could swap the butter for (solidified) coconut oil. And two of the best substitutes I’ve heard about (I haven’t personally tried either of them) are a combination of water, oil, and baking powder, and carbonated water. Scroll down to the bottom of this article for more information about both. I would assume this would also work with some kind of store-bought egg substitute. Hope that helps (and I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them with these alternatives)!
Thanks so much! Great advice and super good article. Much appreciated.
Just made these bars today using cherry preserves. Omitted coconut flakes 😝, added a full cup of pecans instead 😋. Taste awesome! During the year, always hunting down new recipes for my Xmas cookie platters. Def adding these! Will probably double the recipe for a 9×13 pan…hope that works. Thank you for this recipe 👌🏼
I Love your recipes Jenn! This sounds wonderful and want to bake but don’t have the coconut. Is there an ingredient that can be substituted?? Thanks!
Hi Debbie, You can replace the coconut with more nuts or oats. Hope that helps!
I made these using F.R.O.G. jam that a friend had gifted me from NC. It’s flavored with raspberries, orange peel and ginger. I doubled the amount called for and heated it in the microwave for 1.5 minutes to make it spreadable. I also skipped the foil part and just sprayed the baking dish and let them cool completely in the dish (I live in Alaska and my kitchen is typically fairly cool). These bars are the absolute bomb! The combination of flavors was spot on and I doubt they are going to last until the Superbowl party. I have never made a base like this for cookie bars and I am so glad I found this recipe, I’m going to enjoy experimenting with different fillings! Thanks for sharing!
I tried your recipe because I wanted a smaller version than the usual large pan I make. Tried cutting that recipe in half and it didn’t translate well. I do use wild fresh fruits (rhubarb, blueberries, cloudberries, raspberries and cranberries) in my bars and it’s always a treat to enjoy them in different ways. I cook the fruit on the stove with some sugar and water, simmer until the liquid has reduced by almost half and have had great success. Your bars were a big hit since I was able to gift a variety of flavors!
Oh my these were delicious! Hubby just announced they were a winner.
Easy to put together and not super sweet. Thanks Jen!
This is a keeper! I made this recipe to include in my cookie box for Christmas this year which I handed out to friends and family. And, it was one of the favorites. In fact, my mother-in-law asked me for the recipe. I personally loved the ease of putting this dish together for a super yummy outcome. The only modification I made was adding a little more coconut on top before baking along with a handful of white chocolate chips.
Jenn’s recipes are my #1 go to (ahead of even ATK!). These bars are some of my favorites…nutty, not too sweet…and I generally prefer chocolate desserts. They are *that* good! Thanks, Jenn, for sharing.
I made these for a church potluck and got lots of compliments. They are delicious!
Such a treat, easy to make and delicious. Thank you for another wonderful recipe Jenn! They remind me of a date bar recipe that are my father in law’s favorite. Unfortunately, the recipe has been lost. Do you think that these could be made with a date spread instead of the raspberry jam?
Yes, I think a date spread would work here. Please LMK how they turn out if you try it!
I finally made these with a date spread in place of the raspberry jam. I used Premium Medjool Date Paste by Med Cuisine. They were delicious. My father in-law really appreciated them.
Thanks Again Jenn for all you do. I have been a follower for several years now. I have both of your cookbooks and use both your blog and the cookbooks weekly. You have helped me both a better and more confident home chef.
Thanks,
Cathy
Hi. Have made these often and always great. I need to make a large batch to divide among three couples as a gift to each. Should I double the recipe and use a 9×13 pan? Would they still be as thick using this and how long would you bake them for? Thanks.
Glad you like them! Yes, you could double and use a 9 x 13-inch pan. They will be about the same thickness. Baking time may be just a touch longer. Hope your friends enjoy!
Thanks, Jenn. I am always so appreciative of how timely your replies are. I also appreciate when you say, in the kindest way possible, that something I want to try probably will not work.
🙂
Do you think these would taste weird if I used peanuts instead of pecans?
Hi Stefanie, I think it would taste a little different but definitely not weird (just make sure to use unsalted peanuts). Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
wowwww! So easy and delicious but also “special”. The pecans and coconut in the batter just add that “something” that makes them amazing. used raspberry jam as the filling and it was delish but now i’m excited to try with blueberry or strawberry. I added some demara sugar on top for a little texture and crunch and it was perfect! will definitely be making these again.
Delightful! Can’t wait to bring them to my potluck tomorrow!
Could these be made with a thin layer of homemade blueberry pie filling instead of jam?
Hi KLJ, that should work but I’d puree it first to get it to the consistency of jam. Please LMK how they turn out!
Hi Jenn… Would this recipe adapt well to gluten free? Any advice welcome 🙂
Sure, Nicole, I think it would be fine. I’d use an all-purpose gluten-free flour. A lot of readers comment that they have good luck with this one. Please LMK how the bars turn out if you make them!
I used Bonne Maman pineapple and passionfruit jam, sprinkled some Maldon sea salt on top when the bars came out of the oven, and goodness gracious did they turn out perfectly! Sweet but not too sweet, and the bars were perfectly soft but still held together well. Fantastic recipe that I’ll be making regularly from now on.