Everybody needs at least one go-to sweets recipe that you can make at the drop of a hat and take anywhere. For school or church or work, family or friends, your kids or your mom or someone will ask you at 8 p.m. to bake a treat that must, absolutely must be ready to go out the door at 7 a.m.
Strawberry Jam Bars for the Win
When this happens at my house, I make strawberry jam bars. It’s a simple buttery shortbread with oats and jam that is very adaptable to the flavors you have on hand.
Just a few reasons why these tasty bites top my panic-baking list:
- You can make these buttery, sweet bars with whatever jam is in your pantry.
- The oats give a crispy, nutty crunch with a righteous whiff of healthfulness.
- Assemble the ingredients and the recipe in about 15 minutes and bake the bars to doneness in about 30 minutes. Start to finish can happen in just under an hour.
- It’s a no-egg recipe.
- These bars are gluten-free.
So here’s the thing about gluten-free: I have gleefully eaten gluten most of my life and I’m pretty sure I’m not allergic to it. But I do have friends who live with celiac disease, and from my understanding , it’s a pretty miserable set of symptoms that keep celiac sufferers from eating foods that contain gluten.
And that’s why my go-to giveaway recipe is gluten-free. Simply put, I do not want to put someone in a position to have to say no to home-baked treats because it makes their gut miserable. That is just not my scene.
Disclaimer: I am not an expert in gluten-free recipes. I used gluten-free ingredients. If you substitute ingredients, your gluten-free experience may vary.
Let’s Bake Some Jam Bars
I adapted this recipe from Bob’s Red Mill and, as you can tell from the ingredients pic, I like to use their products. This is not a sponsored post, just so you know.
Photo by Lucy Mercer.
Strawberry Jam Bars (Gluten-Free)
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup oat flour (gluten-free)
1 cup rolled oats (gluten-free)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup strawberry jam
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8 x 8-inch pan.
- In medium bowl, stir together butter, vanilla extract, oat flour, oats, sugar, xanthan gum, baking powder, salt and butter until thoroughly blended. You will use a portion of the mixture for the base and the remainder for the crumble topping.
- Press 1 cup of oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread jam over oat mixture.
- Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over jam, then pat in place to make top layer smooth and even.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes until top is lightly brown and set. Cool bars in pan for 30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. Wrap leftovers and store at room temperature.
Let’s Talk About Baking
Give these jam bars a try and let me know what you think! Follow me on Facebook or Instagram for more recipes and garden inspiration.
And, hey, check out my delicious recipe for Granola with Orange Zest and Almonds.
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