Apricot Almond Oat Bars

Easy and delicious apricot almond oat bars with fresh apricot filling inside a buttery almond and oatmeal crust and crumble topping. The apricot filling is sweet, juicy and a little tart, the oats add a hearty crunch, and the brown butter in the crumble perfectly complements the nuttiness of the almonds. These apricot almond bars are perfect for summer baking when stone fruit is at its peak.

You might also love this homemade peach apricot jam, apricot almond cake, and peach pie.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy to Make. Since the crumble mixture doubles for both the crust and crumble topping, these apricot bars are effortless to put together.

So Flavorful. You’ll love all the sweet and nutty flavors in these apricot almond oat bars, with a hint of cardamom to complement the almonds.

Perfectly Seasonal. If you find yourself with a surplus of apricots in June or July, these bars are the perfect use for them, since you’ll need 8 apricots for an 8-inch pan of bars.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Apricot Filling

• Apricots. You’ll need 1 1/2 pounds, or about 8 fresh apricots.
• Lemon Juice. Adds acidity to balance the sweetness.
• Granulated Sugar. Sweetens the filling and adds moisture.
• Corn Starch. Thickens the filling so it’s not too runny as the apricots cook.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.

Crust and Topping

• Butter. Browning the butter first adds a rich, nutty flavor that’s just incredible in the crust and crumble topping.
• Flour. All-purpose flour adds structure to the crust and topping.
• Almond Flour + Chopped Almonds. Adds a nutty flavor and texture.
• Oats. Gives the bars a little more crunch and texture in the crust.
• Dark Brown Sugar. Sweetness.
• Salt. Coarse Kosher salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
• Baking Powder. Gives the crust a little lift.
• Cardamom. Adds a little spice to complement the flavors of almonds and apricots.

TIP: You need to use apricots that are ripe, but still firm, not soft and mushy.

Instructions

Apricot Filling

• After peeling, pitting and slicing the apricots, combine the apricots, lemon juice, sugar, corn starch and vanilla in a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the apricots to a boil, then continue to cook over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy.
• Remove the pan from the heat, and let the filling cool slightly while you make the crust and topping.

Crust and Topping

• Preheat the oven to 350 F, and line an 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick spray. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven.
• Place the butter in a saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Continue to cook the butter, swirling the pan occasionally, until very fragrant and nutty brown solids form on the bottom of the pan. This should take about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 1 1/4 cups of the flour (reserving 1/4 cup flour for later) with the almond flour, chopped almonds, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking powder and cardamom. Pour the hot, browned butter over the flour mixture and stir into a soft dough.

Bake

• Press 2/3 of the dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes.
• Add the remaining 1/4 cup flour to the remaining 1/3 of the dough, and use your fingers or a fork to make a crumbly topping.
• After the crust bakes for 20 minutes, take the pan out of the oven. Spread the apricot filling over the hot crust, then sprinkle the filling with the crumble topping. Return the pan to the oven, and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes, until the filling is bubbling and the topping is golden brown.
• Let the bars cool at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. Or, enjoy them warm, although they’ll be a bit messier.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

How ripe should the apricots be?

You need to choose apricots that are ripe, but still firm. If they’re too soft and mushy to begin with, they will fall apart when they’re cooked.

Do I have to peel the apricots first?

I don’t care for the texture of fruit peel in desserts, but that’s up to you.

Can I just use apricot jam instead of making the apricot filling?

This isn’t something I’ve tested in this recipe, but I imagine it might be too sweet and/or set up too thick after baking the apricot almond oat bars. If you try it, I’d suggest adding a few fresh apricots (or fresh/frozen peaches if you can’t get apricots) to the jam to cut the sweetness and add more moisture.

Will this recipe work without the oats?

Yes, you can leave the oats out with no other changes needed to the recipe.

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