Raspberry Jam Bars
Sweet, tart and gooey, these bars are a happy marriage of blondies and raspberry jam — and I love them just as much with my morning coffee as I do for dessert. 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. 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.
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!
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Raspberry Jam Bars
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
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 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 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.
Reviews & Comments
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The Raspberry Jam Bars are a heaven sent dessert!! Jen, thanks for the tip regarding the coconut…I used sweetened flaked, so used one less TBSP of sugar and the crust is perfect! In fact, that crust is amazing! To say my husband’s Valentine’s Day dessert was well received would be an understatement! He loves them! I love them! We usually buy seeded raspberry jam, but I assumed that seedless would be much better which was correct. The flavor of Trappist Seedless Raspberry Jam is wonderful in this recipe! Thanks Jen, and thank you for adding your little notes with suggestions if one doesn’t happen to have a certain piece of equipment or utensil.
First, I rarely ever give a review. However, I love to read them! But, after making these several times now (as well as other recipes of yours) I felt I had to. They are EXCELLENT! 10 stars!! I’ve made them in 8×8 as well as 9×13. You are truly talented! BTW, your new cookbook sits out on my counter and I tell everyone about you😀
❤️
I tell everyone about your blog, too, Jenn. Recipes are so reliable and I , too, love the reviews. Most of all, I love that when I ask you a question, you get back with an answer reliably within a day or two. Thank you!
Another great recipe, Jen! Just another notch up from the usual jam bars. The pecans, coconut & oats together were sublime, then topped with the raspberry jam (I used my fave brand, Bonne Maman)….perfection. Thank you, as always!
Love these jam bars because they are delicious, easy and versatile. I even made them using leftover homemade cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving in lieu of raspberry jam. They are also good with apricot or blueberry jam.
I made one adjustment to the instructions because I prefer a firmer crust. I blind bake the bottom shortbread layer for 10 minutes. Directly after removing the crust, I spread the jam on this warm layer and top with the remaining uncooked dough and then bake another 25 minutes.
These make a delightful and welcome holiday gift.
Would homemade blueberry jam work for this if i cut the granulated sugar to 1/4 cup(keeping the brown sugar at 1/4 c.)? Also, subbing the pecans with walnuts?
Yes and yes! I’d love to hear how they turn out. 🙂
I have made this recipe 100 times with all kinds of different fruits: plums, pears, bananas. It is great tasting, alittle crumbly, super fast and easy. I am even going to make it today with fall apples but my favorite fruit is with plum butter from my own home grown plums!
These bars are the absolute best and so easy to make! Thanks Jenn, for a great recipe!
What could I use in place of coconut which is a very unpopular ingredient in my family?
Hi Susan, I’d replace the coconut with 1/4 cup more flour and 1/4 cup more pecans or oats. Enjoy!
Jenn, Can you use fresh berries instead of jam/ preserves? Thank you
I didn’t make them yet… certainly will this weekend!
I don’t think fresh berries will work here (it won’t be sweet enough and the berries may generate too much juice for the crust). Sorry!
Was asked to bring dessert to a bbq, so of course I immediately went to your site! These were so easy to put together. I used strawberry-raspberry jam and slightly less sugar, since I only had sweetened coconut. We all enjoyed them and I will make again for sure. Thanks for another great recipe 🙂
can these be made with almond or coconut flour? would you need to adjust anything else?
Hi Nicole, I haven’t made these with anything but all-purpose flour, so I can’t say for sure, but I think it will work. I’d love to hear how they turn out if you try them!
I made these and substituted stevia for the white sugar. I had homemade freezer raspberry jam. They are delicious! Will definitely make them again!
Haven’t seen any suggestions on storing these. I’m baking for a large group and will serve them a couple of days after baking. I’ve tried keeping in a well sealed container, but the jelly just moistens the crunch out of the bars. However, they are delicious when freshly baked! Comments, please.
Hi Lydia, Because these have the jam, these will inevitably moisten up a bit when they sit for a few days. You could try freezing them, but they are still likely to lose a bit of their crunch once defrosted.
I made many batches of these over the holidays and am about to make another batch today. It is AWESOME exactly as the recipe is. I imagine you could use other flavor jams as well. I had a friend keep bugging me for the recipe until I finally gave it to her. She too loves Jenn’s recipes and her website since learning about them. The problem with these is that they’re sooooo good you’ll just want to keep eating them. Very easy to make following the fabulous directions. Came out of the pan easily using the aluminum foil and cut well too.
Everyone loved these bars! The recipe is quick and easy and I followed it exactly as written with one exception—I used sweetened coconut since that’s all I had, but the crust did not seem too sweet at all. Next time, however, I might add a little lemon juice or zest to the jam or try blackberry preserves instead. The raspberry jam was perhaps just a bit too sweet. Thanks, Jenn, for another wonderful recipe.
I used 4 fruit preserves from Costco, and these came out perfectly.
Made 3 batches for a cookie exchange party this week – HUGE hit of course 🙂
Did each batch with different jam – blueberry, cherry & raspberry. Used almonds for the cherry batch as I ran out of pecans but they worked out fabulous! 10 min before they were done baking I dusted the top of them with white sanding sugar for added holiday sparkle.
Thanks as always Jenn!
A great dessert for holidays, if they last that long if done ahead of time. A few alterations I have made:
No nuts as they can be an alergic problem; I use 50/50 steel cut oats w/quaker, it does take a bit longer but add the crunch; Finally dark chocolate chunks I sometimes double the recipe for 1/2 chocolate. Paul
Made these when I had my brother and sister-in-law over for dinner. Everyone loves them. Directions were perfect. This is the 4th or 5th recipe I have tried from this site and all have been excellent!! This has become my go to site for recipes and ideas!
This recipe is delicious. Pinching off the dough for the topping didn’t work for me; I had more success rolling it out and putting pieces on the jam.
I made these this past weekend for a gathering, and the recipe came out perfect. I used my homemade blackberry jam and they were a big hit with the crowd, came home with an empty plate. I am definitely going to try switching up the nuts with various jams. I think I will try almonds with strawberry jam next.
I made this over the weekend, and got rave reviews at home and then on Monday at work. I followed the recipe to a tee, and turned out perfectly delicious. It looks really nice to have covered and uncovered parts. I want to try it with guava jam next! Thanks!
I’m buying a bag of pecans from Costco because I see myself making this recipe at least once a month. Plus, you have other yummy baked goods with pecans in the recipe. I do love the raspberry filling and can’t wait to try other fruits.
Hi Jenn. Can I make these without unsweetened coconut flakes? All I have is the sweetened kind.
Hi Gayle, you can use sweetened coconut; just reduce the granulated sugar by 1 tablespoon.
Should the dough be on the wet side? Mine was but still turned out beautifully.
Hi Mia, It really shouldn’t be particularly wet. It should be similar to cookie dough. (But glad to hear they turned out well regardless!)
These are my absolute new favorite cookie. I love the pecan/oatmeal/coconut combo in the crusty part. After making them first exactly as written (delicious), I tweaked for our tastes. I cut butter to 1/3c, granulated sugar to 1/4 c (brown sugar still at 1/4 c), and I spread them in a 9×13 pan, prepared as described. It’s a little tough spreading it out that thin- I use a layer of wax paper to push around the bottom layer of dough. But they bake up to a total thickness of 1/2 inch. Great with a cup of tea or coffee, and I don’t feel tooooo guilty. 🙂 THANK YOU! Favorite is black raspberry jam.
PS- Moroccan Carrot salad is terrific. Our company go-to, and I am *always* asked for the recipe.
Is it only 1/2 cup jam? Your photo looks like a lot of jam covering the dough.
Yes, that’s correct.
Absolutely gorgeous! These are a taste sensation.. love them! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
These were delicious and so easy to make! I followed as directed except added about 1/4 tsp cinnamon to the batter. They tasted like something one would buy at an upscale bakery, sweet, tart, and with a perfectly textured, slightly crumbly crust. They firmed up beautifully after about two hours and so easy to get clean, nice looking slices. Perfect for a nice brunch or an afternoon (or anytime) treat. Thank you Jen for another easy to follow, amazing recipe!
Hi Jen, just wondering if you think these would freeze ok? Thanks!
Yep- You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
Excellent recipe
These are so very good
5 stars all the way
Thanks for another good one Jenn
I have been wanting to make these for awhile & finally did for my daughter’s return home from college for summer break. She loved them! Followed the recipe exactly-simple, easy to follow & delicious results–Thank You!
Great recipe! I used a jar of local blackberry preserves and everyone loved these bars! Also, used parchment paper to line the dish and had no problems with sticking.
These were easy and delicious. I had all the ingredients in my pantry and these whipped up nicely and easily. This is a versatile dessert, brunch dish, all occasion gift for someone, or picnic fare. It was more delicious than the simplicity would indicate! Served with ice cream or whipped cream, warm or cold…. just perfect!
I made these last weekend and they were moist and flavorful and my hubby loved them.
These were such a hit! Recipe is perfect as it’s written here… Great combination of the butter crust and sweet jam. Will definitely be making these again.
Perfect 2nd time round. My 97yr-Dad’s oven belongs in the Smithsonian so they were a tad dry, albeit tasty, first try (temp gauge spastic).
Today I changed nothing but used peach jam. Almonds not necessary. Sprinkle the jam with cinnamon and a light sprinkle on top before baking…you are good to go. Pecans and peaches…couldn’t get more Georgian!
PS. You must use unsalted butter. Salted butter is more prone to burn…plus, it never gets fluffy and liquid leaches out of it while beating it and adding the egg. My personal observation. Used salted the first time. Also, I hate baking. Reliable recipes rule. Thanks Jen!
I made these to serve the ladies at Book Club and they were enthusiastically received. The detailed instructions on lining the pan with foil were very helpful and made the cooling and cutting of the bars extremely easy
These are so, so, so good. Thanks for another awesome recipe, Jenn!
Hi Jenn
How much is a stick of butter in cups?
Thx, Lori
1 stick is the equivalent of 1/2 cup.
Absolutely delicious! I was so excited to make them I forgot to add the baking powder – and they still turned out amazing!
I doubled them in a 9×13. Yummy!
I am currently eating these for breakfast, god help me. They are addictive. Reminiscent in flavor (though not in construction) to the Entenmann’s Raspberry Danish I loved when I was a kid…
Did you bake the doubled (9×13) recipe any longer. Thanks Jane
So, SO good. Easy to put together, but difficult to resist eating all of them in one sitting. Have kept them “hidden” from hubby and doled them out like a miser – the flavor lingers and they’re just wonderful. Thanks for another winner!
These are delicious. Nice texture and not overly sweet.
These were soo easy to make and absolutely delicious. My husband brought them to work and reported his coworkers called them “crack” lol!
I made these yesterday and they came out great. I will definitely make them again.
Loved these bars, easy to make and my family members went Yummmy!
Look forward to trying other jam flavors!
I have used quite a number of savoury dishes from your site, but I am apprehensive about trying the baking although I would love to. My problem is I am given to understand that baking measurements are not the same as in Australia and I cannot find any references to help me. 1 stick of butter is 250g and 1 cup is 287ml. I would be grateful if you could confirm if these measures are the same as I would really love to have a go .
Hi Phyl, Most of my recipes actually have metric measurements. If you click on the recipe tab, in the top right corner of the recipe you’ll find a button where you can toggle between cup and metric measures. Should make baking my recipes very easy for you :). (And btw, 1 stick of butter is 113g.)
Thanks for the information concerning the measurements. I had not noticed the metric conversion box. I successfully made these bars. I had to double the mixture as family meals call for more than 16 bars. They were a great hit with no leftovers. I can now confidently go ahead baking from your sight. Phyl
Yum! Made this today and just had them for dessert after dinner. They were a hit. Really enjoyed the flavour of the raspberry with the coconut.
Will definitely make again. Would like to try different flavours such as cherry jam or apricot jam.
Turned out great! I have teenagers so all recipes are automatically doubled in my house. These turned out beautifully and are already half gone 24hrs later 😉
Thanks Jenn!! Another delicious and easy go-to recipe!
These are over-the-moon delicious!!!! I sprinkled some coarse sparkling sugar on top before baking because I love the extra little crunch on desserts like this. The batter makes a wonderful crust that is crispy on the outside, and delightfully chewy on the inside. I am a huge fan of the raspberry jam brand shown in the picture, especially for baking. It has a deep flavor that is a perfect balance of tart and sweet. Bravo, Jenn, as usual!!!!!!
I have a question. What’s the temperature for baking 35 mins?
The bars should be baked at 350°F/180°C. Hope you enjoy!
Delicious ! Wonderful recipe.. I made them with low sugar apricot jam… they were a huge hit! Will make them again..
Love the recipe. I had to substitute preserves for jam. Mine turned out extremely sweet. Can I use less sugar?
Hi Paula, If you found the bars too sweet, I’d reduce the granulated sugar by half. (And the type of jam really does make a difference in terms of sweetness; I tried them with both peach and apricot jam and found them too sweet.)
I’m wondering if you think fig jam would work, Jenn? Thank you!
Sure, Flo – sounds delish 🙂
I followed your suggestion for the almond/cherry jam variation, adding 1/4 tsp of almond extract to the dough, and sprinkling some sliced almonds on top before baking. Loved them, and will try the pecan/raspberry version soon. Thank you, Jenn!
Perfect! Not too sweet…..flavors all blend..I used Reynolds Nonstick foil and did not spray with oil…worked like a charm! Thanks, another recipe added to my “make again list”
Can the recipe be doubled and baked in a 11×17 dish?
Hi Anna, I think this would probably be best if doubled and baked in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. I think 11 x 17 would be too large.
Any way to make these in a 9×13 so more people can enjoy them at once? Possible to just double the recipe and proceed with the larger pan? Or perhaps a 15×10? ABSOLUTELY LOVE your site and all the recipes I’ve tried. Thrilled to keep trying and learning more. Thank you!!
Hi Diane, so glad you’re enjoying the recipes! Yes, I think you could double this and use a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
I doubled and used 9 by 13 per your suggestion. Came out perfection!!?
Hi,
Can quick oats be substituted for the old fashioned oats?
Thanks.
Denise
Yep, that will work fine Denise. Please come back and lmk how they turn out :).
My cousin has been making these jam bars
for several years now. It’s an excellent
recipe and well liked by everyone.
Keep those great recipes coming
Jenn!!
Followed the recipe except used sweetened coconut I had on hand. Turned out perfectly delicious. A quick and easy recipe. Great one for family dessert or to take to an event.
Hi Jenn,
Can I substitute another nut for the pecan? I would like to use Cherry jam. If that helps with the nut choice.
Thanks.
Definitely – whatever you like but almonds would be wonderful with cherry jam.
These look great! So great, in fact, I immediately ran out and bought the ingredients to make these soon. Question: could coconut oil be used instead of butter? I love me some coconut but don’t know if coconut oil would then make the coconut flavour overpowering.
I think coconut oil would work well, Devan. Please let me know how it turns out!
My daughter, Elly, just made these and they are amazing. I love the oat and pecan taste in the blondie. We used Bonne Maman Raspberry Preserves.
They were delicious! The oats and pecans add a nice flavor.
So yummy! Great to take to a potluck. Will definitely make again.
Would I need to change anything else if I left out the coconut?
Hi Robin, I’d replace the coconut with 1/4 cup more flour and 1/4 cup more pecans or oats. Hope you enjoy them!
Jenn – can the pecans be omitted or substituted for someone with a tree nut allergy? Thanks! Can’t wait for the cookbook!
Sure, Carolyn. I’d add 1/4 cup more flour and 1/4 cup more oats or coconut. Cookbook is in the home stretch :).