The charm of a crumble pie but in convenient hand-held form, Raspberry Jam Oat Bars have a buttery oatmeal biscuit base, a layer of jam, then topped with a crumble. Love how the same mixture is used for the base and crumbly topping. Handy – and fast to make!
Easy raspberry jam oat bars
These are deliciously buttery crumble bars that are perfect for any occasion. You’ll love the combination of the sweet fruity jam filling sandwiched between the oatmeal cookie base and the crumbly golden topping.
And you’ll especially love how quick these are to get in the oven! Similar jam bar recipes call for softened butter to be creamed with an electric beater (like for oatmeal cookies) or rubbed into flour using your fingers (like for shortbread).
In contrast, my recipe starts with melted butter which is just mixed with a wooden spoon with oats, flour etc. I’ve made it the standard way, and my way, and the difference is barely discernible.
So my easier way it is!
What goes in raspberry jam oat bars
While these are made with raspberry jam, it can be made with any jam flavour your heart desires. Strawberry, blueberry, marmalade, apricot!
Jam – As noted above, any flavour jam you want can be used! I used raspberry.
Rolled oats – Not quick oats or steel-cut oats. Just plain traditional oats.
Flour – Just plain / all purpose flour. Wholemeal / wholewheat flour will work too. I haven’t tried with gluten-free flour or almond meal (ground almonds).
Butter – Unsalted butter. No need to bring to room temperature as we will melt it.
Sugar – Brown sugar adds lovely caramel-y flavour to the base. However, if you’re out, white sugar can be substituted.
Egg – A large one, from a carton labelled with the size “large”. Industry standard is 55 – 60g / 2 oz each.
Baking powder – Just 1/2 teaspoons adds a bit of lift. It doesn’t make the biscuit base cake, it just prevents it from baking into a concrete block.
Salt – Just a pinch, to bring out the other flavours. It doesn’t make it salty.
The making part – quick & easy!
One oats biscuit mixture is used for the base and the crumbly topping. Convenient!
Oat cookie mixture – Melt the butter in a bowl in the microwave. Mix in sugar, then egg, then the flour, oats, baking powder and salt.
Spread in pan – Line a 20cm/8″ square metal pan with paper with overhang to make it easy to lift out later. Spread 1 1/2 cups of the oat mixture across the base. I partially spread it out using a wooden spoon, semi cutting / pressing the clumps. Then I finish it with my hands.
Press the base in firmly and make the surface reasonably smooth. We’re making a rustic dish here, so no need to go to town on an ultra smooth surface.
Spread jam across the surface. If your jam is a bit firm jelly-like, you might want to warm it up briefly to make it easier to spread.
Crumble remaining oat mixture across the surface using your fingers.
Bake for 30 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced) or until the surface is golden. Cool in the pan before lifting out using the overhang paper and cutting into 16 squares.
TIP to speed up the cooling: cool 30 minutes on the counter, 30 minutes in fridge.
These really might be one of the fastest bars ever to make. Well, the 5 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are a hot contender for the World’s Speediest Bars too. 🙂
Tuck them into lunch boxes. Take them to book club. Serve them for afternoon tea.
Or, for something different, serve them as dessert, warm like apple crumble with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. YES! – Nagi x
PS Those caramelised bits along the edges are the BEST. Like a chewy candy. I’ll fight you for them!
Watch how to make it
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Easiest Ever Raspberry Jam Bars
Ingredients
- 125g / 1 stick unsalted butter , melted
- 1/2 cup brown sugar , tightly packed
- 1 large egg (55-60g / 2 oz)
- 1 1/2 cups flour (plain / all-purpose)
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats (traditional oats, not quick, instant or steel-cut)
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 1 cup raspberry jam (or other flavour)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/400°F (180°C fan). Grease a 20cm/8" metal pan with butter then line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
- Oatmeal cookie base – Melt butter in a microwave proof bowl. Mix in sugar until lump free. Add egg then mix until incorporated. Then add flour, oats, baking powder and salt and mix until you can no longer see flour.
- Base – Spread 1 1/2 cups of the mixture in the prepared pan, and press in with your hands. Spread with jam (microwave to loosen, if needed), then use your hands to crumble the remaining mixture over the top (Note 3).
- Bake for 30 – 35 minutes or until the top is deep golden. Remove and allow to fully cool in the pan (~ 2 hours) before lifting out of the tin using the baking paper. (Speed things up: 30 min counter, 30 minute fridge)
- Cut into 16 squares. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published July 2016, in the days before I learned how to make recipe videos! Updated March 2023 with a recipe video, sparkling new photos and much needed clean up of the writing.
Similar format sweet things
Because I do have a soft spot for hand-held goodies.
Life of Dozer
Normally I update this section with current Dozer happenings, but I though you might like this from the original publication date – Dozer suspiciously sniffing a runaway raspberry, disappointed he didn’t get to taste test the Raspberry Bars!
Yum yum yum! I just made something like this last week but with apples. Berries would be delish though, thanks for the inspo.
Inspo!!! I LOVE how we Aussies shorten everything – ba ha ha!!
These look like a perfect treat to have with a cup of tea or coffee! I love how you found a quicker method than the traditional creaming method too!
Thanks Sarah!! N x
These were so yummy and easy too. I added shredded coconut to the topping and my kids who generally won’t eat non chocolate treats thought they were delish! Thanks for getting us out of the chocolate rut.
First reader to report on these!! THANK YOU Jen! You rock!!! Honestly so glad you enjoyed these – especially to know your kids enjoyed then too. Thank you 1 million x. N xxx
OMG! The photos!! I just have to make this. This type of dessert makes me want to invite all my friends over and enjoy it while chatting endlessly 🙂
You’re so sweet Muna! Thank you! PS I got your email and have read it, I just haven’t had a chance to respond properly yet! N x
It’s alright dear 🙂
These are my favourite kind of sweet thing. Crumbly and jam sweet. Very lovely recipe
Thanks Tania!!! N x
I just made these, with mixed berry jam, and not much is left over. My Grandson loves them as do the rest of us.
This recipe showing up in my inbox was perfect timing as my Mom was saying she was sick of oatmeal and would like to make something else with the huge stash of old fashioned oats we have here.
I will for sure be making these again, and again. I love how easy it was to get this in the convection oven fast.
I used a pan I got from the UK that is a 9 x 9 Silverwood Eye Catcher Brownie pan. I had traced the removable bottom onto parchment paper and cut it out and lined the bottom the pan with that after spraying with non-stick spray, and everything came out perfect at 35 minutes in a convection oven.
Now I am oohing and ahhhing over the butter chicken, flatbread and chana aloo curry recipes…..I think I need to go take the chicken thighs out of the freezer now….I will report back on how those recipes come out. I have two cooking classes this weekend, but am still hoping to get those three recipes tested in the same meal before Monday arrives. I have tried Naan recipes but have a heck of a time getting them to stay stretched out, maybe this flatbread recipe will be the winner for me. 🙂
WOO HOO! I am so glad you enjoyed these, thank you so much for coming back to share your thoughts!! I really appreciate it, helps others thinking of trying this recipe! N x
I don’t have a sweet tooth at all so will give the bars a miss BUT had to comment on what looks like Dozer giving you the raspberry!
BA HA HA!! Ann, you just crack me up!!! If only he hand fingers, hmm….? 😉
Hi Nagi
I was lucky to be a “taster” and they are divine! So moist and yummy. Particularly like the 2 jams so am pleased you ran out of raspberry. So many oatmeal type bars are so dry. These are amazing. Will be attempting to replicate yours soon.
I take it back. Just took it out of the oven and it is a fail, I can’t burden you with it!! 🙁
THANK YOU PAULINE!!! 🙂 PS I will be dropping by shortly to drop off a little something for taste testing!!! 🙂 N x
May I substitute these for breakfast oatmeal? They have jam — that is breakfast. I am tired of my old mushy oatmeal. So I’l call this my Best ever breakfast 🙂
BA HA HA! You crack me up Marisa!!!! (And I love the way you think…. 😉 ) N x
Ahhh these are soo fantastic!!! Seriously incredible….And I love that you admitted that you used both jams 🙂 God knows how many times I have ran out of things like that and ended up doing that 🙂
I was wondering if I could just not mention it…..but I wanted to show the steps!! Hey! How did Live Video go??? I have to go check it out!
Haven’t done live yet!!! It’s coming this week 🙂
Hi Nagi!
I just have to tell you that I LOVE your blog and recipes! I love to cook and keep it simple & flavorful and you provide that. In all honesty I still make some changes, as I can never leave well enough alone…but I still LOVE what you do!
Now to the comment on these bars, which goes hand in hand with my not being able to leave well enough alone…I haven’t made these YET (I intend too) but I was wondering if you had ever considered adding in a ‘cheese’ element? Say a mixture of cream cheese & ricotta blended together & sweetened with a bit of sugar and flavored with a bit of lemon juice & zest?
I do realize that would make this recipe a tad more complex…but I can’t help myself! I’ve had a similar oat & fruit bar from Starbucks (Cherry Oat bar….YUMMIE) and I’ve always thought it needed a cheese element – to make it a little more Danish-like.
Please let me know if you ever thought to try this and if you have (or plan too) let me know how it goes and the recipe you settled on with the cheese addition.
Thank you! Deborah
I LOVE that you adapt my recipes to your own taste Deborah!!! I very rarely follow a recipe strictly myself…even my own! BA HA HA! I love the idea of making these a mash up of cheesecake and raspberry bars!! That is an awesome idea Deborah, I think I might have to give it a go. I haven’t done cheesecake bars on my blog yet!!! Might swap out the base for a traditional cheesecake biscuit base. What do you think? Or keep the crumble topping and base??
OMG Either way would work! Personally I like the oat bar & topping….or you could go really rouge and do a shortbread (butter cookie) base….
Let me know what you think… 🙂
Mmmm. I like the idea of adding some nuts to the oat mixture. I might even go so far as to add some mini chocolate chips to the topping. Chocolate and raspberry together – heaven!
Oooh….love that idea. 🙂 I might even do white chocolate chips, I love white chocolate and raspberries!
You are speaking my language Lisa……
I would love to make these or an apple crisp or any one of a dozen other recipes but I am allergic to oats. What could I use in place of? Many years ago I was able to find rolled wheat and used it however I haven’t seen rolled wheat in years.\Thank you
Eleanor
Hi Eleanor! I think this would be lovely made with coconut instead of oats! What I would do is this: Make the base using 3/4 cup of desiccated coconut (finely shredded coconut). Then after you press the base in, add in around 1/4 cup of coconut flakes into the remaining mixture. That will create a similar texture to the oats in the topping, making it crumbly. 🙂 I hope that helps!
i had heart-eyes just now when this arrived in my inbox!!!
Awww, thanks Hillary! Hope you had a fab weekend! N x
Hi Nagi! This is almost identical to a recipe I make which I call Raspberry Granola Bars!!! I’ve made them with other jam flavors, but raspberry is my favorite! Did you have any problems with the paper sticking to the jam? I did the first time I made mine so now I use a glass baking dish without paper. These make great gifts because they hold up so well in shipping!
Well isn’t that just the ultimate validation?? 🙂 LOVE THAT DOROTHY!!!! Mine did not stick but I use a fairly decent quality paper. When was a poor uni student, I used to use the cheap no brand paper and it was useless!!! So now I get the best I can find! N x