Raspberry Crumble Bars

No one can resist baking and eating these delicious Raspberry Crumble Bars. This classic cookie bar features a buttery shortbread oat base and jammy middle dotted with even more golden baked oat crumble.

Raspberry Jam isn’t just for toast anymore… whip up a small batch of homemade raspberry jam (or use store bought preserves) then layer it in between buttery oat shortbread crumble layers. The flavour is sweet and tart, like my Cranberry Bars but made with raspberry jam instead of cranberry sauce.

Raspberry Crumble Bars

Raspberry Crumble Bars are the perfect semi-homemade treats, made with just four simple ingredients. They feature a heavenly blend of oatmeal cookie goodness, a luscious layer of raspberry, and a crumbly topping that’s perfect for any sweet craving.

Folks, this is one of the easiest dessert recipes you can bake in under an hour total time. That’s including only ten minutes of prep time, followed by 45 minutes of cooking time.

Additionally, they are made using only four ingredients you might already have in your pantry. Oatmeal cookie mix is easy to find in any grocery store but feel free to refer to this post for instructions on making the shortbread crumble from scratch.

Feel free to use store bought raspberry jam or make your own using fresh fruit. It doesn’t take too long to make your own raspberry filling, although it needs extra time to cool completely before being used in this recipe.

Baker’s Note: You can cut the bars into different sizes according to how many servings you require. Cut them into nine squares, then serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream as individual desserts. Or, cut them into 12 or 18 smaller portions to serve along with other squares or baked goods for tea or holiday gatherings.

Helpful Items for this Recipe

You will need the following supplies to make these Raspberry Crumble Bars:

• 9 x 9 inch baking pan
• Parchment paper or baking spray
• Hand or stand mixer
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring tools
• Mixing tools

Ingredients for Raspberry Crumble Bars

You will need the following ingredients to complete this recipe: 

Oatmeal Cookie Mix: Substitute a sugar cookie mix if desired and increase the amount of oats to 1 ½ cups, 1 cup in the main mixture and another ½ in the topping. OR if you want to make your own, mix 1 tablespoon light corn syrup with 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup whole wheat flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch, 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, and 1/2 cup rolled oats.

Old Fashioned Oats: You can use quick oats, but you will likely end up with gooier bars that way as they don’t hold up quite as well.

Salted Butter: Unsalted butter and ¼ teaspoon of salt works well as a substitute.

Raspberry Preserves: You can use raspberry jam or jelly, though they may be a little runnier and give a slightly gooier bar.

How to Make Raspberry Crumble Bars

To begin, preheat oven to 350 F and line a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or spray lightly with baking spray. Pro tip: Use binder clips to keep the parchment paper in place while you assemble the bars. Remove clips before baking.

In a large mixing bowl, Next, combine the cookie mix and ⅔ cup of oats together in a large mixing bowl.

Cube the softened butter and add it into the mixing bowl of cookie mixture. Work it in with a hand or stand mixer until it forms a crumbly but lumpy mixture.

Set aside 1 ½ cups of the oat mixture. Then press the remaining mixture into the bottom of the prepared 9 x 9 pan. Next, spread an even layer of raspberry preserves over the pressed oat mixture.

Mix the remaining ⅓ cup of oats in with the reserved crumble mixture then crumble it evenly over the top of the preserves. There should be enough to almost completely cover the raspberry layer but it’s okay if some is showing.

Bake in a 350 F oven for 40-45 minutes cook time or until golden brown and bubbly.

Remove Raspberry Crumble Bars from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares to serve.

Changes and Substitutions

This is a beautifully simple recipe which means that it is simple to modify if you need to do so. For example, you can switch out the cookie mix with almost any other cookie mix and still get good results.

Additionally, you can either use a cookie mix with a mix-in such as chocolate chips or add your own mix-ins if you’d like more flavour or texture. Chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, chopped nuts and coconut flakes all work well in the dough or on top of these bars.

Finally, you can also change the flavor by simply switching out the preserves for the flavour you want to use such as strawberry, blueberry or peach. You really can’t go wrong with this quick and easy recipe.

How to Store Raspberry Crumble Bars

To store Raspberry Crumble Bars, place them in an airtight container or a sealed storage bag. Keep them at room temperature for up to 2-3 days for optimal freshness. If you want to extend their shelf life, refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to 2-3 months.

Frozen bars can be thawed in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for up to 1 hour.

Hi! I’m Bernice Hill and I am the sole recipe developer, photographer, and writer at Dish ‘n’ the Kitchen. It is my pleasure to share easy to follow recipes that are delicious, nutritious, and approachable for the whole family.

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