Easy Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides. Alternatively, lightly grease the pan with vegetable shortening or oil.
Add all dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the vanilla extract and softened plant butter (and any variations noted below, if using) and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
If the mixture feels dry, add water one teaspoon at a time. Do not over-mix.
Press ⅔ of the mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form the base.
Spread the fruit preserves evenly over the base, leaving a small border around the edges.
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top and press gently into the fruit layer
Bake for 30–40 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
Using the parchment overhang, gently lift them out and place on a cutting board.
Cut into bars using a sharp knife. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes:
This recipe works great with gluten-free flour. Substitute one cup flour with your favorite gluten-free blend. This recipe was developed with a simple gluten-free flour blend of 2.5 parts rice flour, 1.5 parts potato starch, and 1 part corn starch. When making this mix, a kitchen scale is recommended.
One cup of this blend was used in the recipe. Add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to the mixture.
According to Katrina Cermelj from the blog, The Loopy Whisk, “In gluten-free baking, xanthan gum acts as a binder – a gluten substitute that holds the bakes together, prevents them from being too crumbly and greatly improves their texture.”
Variations:
Pumpkin Pie: Use pumpkin butter in place of preserves; add ½ tsp cinnamon to dry ingredients.
Cherry Almond: Use cherry preserves; add ½ tsp almond extract and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
Peach: Use peach preserves; add ¼ tsp cinnamon and sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top.
Omit nuts if needed for allergies. Use any preserves you enjoy.
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Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper, leaving a slight overhang on the sides. Alternatively, lightly grease the pan with vegetable shortening or oil.
Add all dry ingredients to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add the vanilla extract and softened plant butter (and any variations noted below, if using) and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand.
If the mixture feels dry, add water one teaspoon at a time. Do not over-mix.
Press ⅔ of the mixture firmly into the prepared pan to form the base.
Spread the fruit preserves evenly over the base, leaving a small border around the edges.
Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture over the top and press gently into the fruit layer
Bake for 30–40 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan.
Using the parchment overhang, gently lift them out and place on a cutting board.
Cut into bars using a sharp knife. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.
Notes:
This recipe works great with gluten-free flour. Substitute one cup flour with your favorite gluten-free blend. This recipe was developed with a simple gluten-free flour blend of 2.5 parts rice flour, 1.5 parts potato starch, and 1 part corn starch. When making this mix, a kitchen scale is recommended.
One cup of this blend was used in the recipe. Add 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum to the mixture.
According to Katrina Cermelj from the blog, The Loopy Whisk, “In gluten-free baking, xanthan gum acts as a binder – a gluten substitute that holds the bakes together, prevents them from being too crumbly and greatly improves their texture.”
Variations:
Pumpkin Pie: Use pumpkin butter in place of preserves; add ½ tsp cinnamon to dry ingredients.
Cherry Almond: Use cherry preserves; add ½ tsp almond extract and sprinkle sliced almonds on top.
Peach: Use peach preserves; add ¼ tsp cinnamon and sprinkle chopped pecans or walnuts on top.
Omit nuts if needed for allergies. Use any preserves you enjoy.