Tasty Apricot Bars made with a shortbread crust, apricot jam and sliced almonds. This easy to make dessert is perfect when you want something sweet and delicious.
Serve for a weeknight dessert or bring to a summer barbecue.
Why make this dessert
These apricot bars are so easy to make and are a perfectly delicious treat. The filling is made with apricot jam - you just can't get any easier than that! Use your own homemade jam or use store bought. Either way makes a delicious bar.
The crust is easily made when using a food processor, but if you don't have a food processor, you can still make the crust using just your hands.
Apricot bars are a perfect dessert to make when you want the taste of fresh fruit, but don't have it available. It's also one I make when I need to use up my remaining jars of homemade apricot jam in my pantry.
Key ingredients
- Apricot jam
- Almonds - Sliced
- Almond extract - Just a touch is added to the crust
- Butter - Salted butter, cut into small cubes
- Sugar
- Flour - All-purpose flour
Step by step directions
- Place flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt in a food processor bowl
- Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
- Lightly beat egg along with almond extract
- Pour beaten egg. into flour mixture. Pulse 4-5 times - mixture will still look very dry.
- Pour into a greased 9x13" baking dish. Press crust mixture down with your hands or the bottom of a flat measuring cup
- Evenly spread apricot jam over top of crust
- Sprinkle on sliced almonds
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes
- Allow bars to fully cool before slicing and eating
- After 5 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the outside of the bars to help release any jam that may be stuck on the sides
To make crust without a food processor
- Add flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt to a bowl. Use your hands to smoosh or flatten the cubes of butter into the flour mixture.
- Add beaten egg and almond extract and combine lightly with a fork
Recipe tips and variations
- Crust mixture will be very dry and crumbly. Be certain to press it firmly into a greased baking dish.
- Baking dish size can vary from a 9x13" to an 8x11" - the smaller the dish, the thicker the crust. Baking time may increase 3-5 minutes with a smaller dish.
- Use vanilla instead of almond extract
- Replace the sliced almonds with chopped pecans
- Use your favorite variety of jam - blackberry, strawberry, raspberry or rhubarb would all be great!
- Allow bars to fully cool before serving or they will be too soft and crumbly
Recipe Faqs
The apricot bars will last for 4-5 days if covered and stored at room temperature.
Yes, the bars can be frozen. Allow bars to fully cool. Cover baking dish with a double layer of plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze in the baking dish.
To use, simply remove from freezer and allow bars to thaw at room temperature.
More easy recipes using jam
Jam is a great filling for so many delicious recipes. Try out these favorites:
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be sure to check out all my delicious dessert recipes!
Apricot Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks cut into small cubes. I use salted butter.)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
Filling
- 1 ½ cups apricot jam
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
Instructions
Crust
- Place flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt in a food processor bowl1 ¾ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, ¾ cup butter, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
- Lightly beat egg along with almond extract1 egg, ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Add beaten egg to food processor. Pulse 3-5 times. Mixture will be very dry and crumbly
- Add flour mixture to a greased 9x13" pan
- Spread flour mixture evenly in pan and press firmly down with hands or the bottom of a flat measuring cup
Filling
- Add apricot jam on top of the crust. With the back of a spoon, spread jam evenly over crust. Don't worry if the crust sticks slightly to the jam and pulls up a bit.1 ½ cups apricot jam
- Sprinkle almonds evenly over the top of the jam¾ cup sliced almonds
- Bake in a preheated 350° oven for 30 minutes
- Allow bars to fully cool before serving
- After 5 minutes of cooling, run a knife around the outside edges of the bars to release any jam that may stick to the baking dish
Notes
- Add flour, sugar, butter, baking powder and salt to a bowl. Use your hands to smoosh or flatten the cubes of butter into the flour mixture.
- Add beaten egg and almond extract and combine lightly with a fork
- Crust mixture will be very dry and crumbly. Be certain to press it firmly into a greased baking dish.
- Baking dish size can vary from a 9x13" to an 8x11" - the smaller the dish, the thicker the crust. Baking time may increase 3-5 minutes with a smaller dish.
- Use vanilla instead of almond extract
- Replace the sliced almonds with chopped pecans
- Use your favorite variety of jam - blackberry, strawberry, raspberry or rhubarb would all be great!
- Allow bars to fully cool before serving or they will be too soft and crumbly
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Valentina says
"Sweet & delicious" is always what I want! I might even make homemade apricot jam for this one. Sounds soooo good! 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced says
What a fun recipe, Kathy! I've only dabbled with apricots/apricot jam a handful of times, but I've always enjoyed it. I love how this recipe really calls the apricot flavor to the forefront! And the toasted almonds on top would add great texture and flavor, too!
Kathy says
Hi David,
Thanks so much! I love the brightness of flavor and color of apricots! 🙂
Kathy