Oatmeal Raspberry Bars with Toasted Coconut

This classic recipe is homey & old school - like raspberry crisp in a bar form. It's super quick to put together (it can be assembled & baked in under an hour) and your house will smell amazing as it's baking. The recipe title may sound basic, but don't let these unassuming bars fool you. They are both salty and sweet, buttery and crispy. It's fun to watch people's expressions as they first bite into one…delightful, delicious surprise. Yes, please!

Oatmeal Raspberry Bars with Toasted Coconut

• Author: Sarah Marx Feldner
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Category: Bars
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Makes one 9x13 pan (~24 bars, depending on what size you cut them).

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups sweetened flaked coconut, divided
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
• ¾ cup packed light brown sugar (150 g)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 g)
• ½ teaspoon fine-grain salt (like table or sea salt)
• 1 ½ sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (12 TB, 6 oz)
• 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats (120 g)
• ¾ cup seedless raspberry jam (240 g)

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F degrees.
2. Butter a 9x13 metal baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.
3. Spread ¾ cup coconut evenly on a baking sheet and toast in middle of oven until golden, about 5 minutes. (Watch closely and stir frequently, as it can quickly turn from white to burnt!) Immediately remove the toasted coconut from the hot baking sheet and let cool completely.
4. In a food processor, blend together the flour, sugars and salt. Then, add the butter and pulse until a dough begins to form. Transfer to a large bowl and, using your hands, knead in the oats and toasted coconut until well combined.
5. Reserve ¾ cup dough, then press remainder evenly into the prepared 9x13 pan and spread jam over it. Crumble the reserved dough evenly over jam, then sprinkle with remaining ¾ cup (untoasted) coconut.
6. Bake in middle of oven until golden and bubbling slightly around the edges, 20-25 minutes, then cool completely in pan on a rack before cutting.

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Notes

• You may be tempted to use extra jam. Don’t. It will make the crust too soft.
• I prefer using a no-sugar-added jam. If available, St. Dalfour is my favorite in this recipe. Additionally, it’s best to steer clear of the ever-prevalent Smucker’s, as I've found it makes the bars cloyingly sweet.
• Don’t stress too much about using seedless jam. I’ve made this recipe plenty of times with seedFULL raspberry jam, and it still tasted amazing!
• For easier cutting (and to protect your pan from knife cuts), loosen the bars from the sides of the pan with a sharp knife or the tip of an offset spatula. Then, pop out in one piece and transfer to a cutting board.
• Store any leftovers (ha!) at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days.
• I discovered this recipe where it deserved to be placed, in The Best of Gourmet 2003 cookbook, and have been making it regularly ever since!

Keywords: Coconut, Raspberry, Bars, Spring