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Home » Brownies & Bars » Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Published: Feb 1, 2019 · Modified: Dec 14, 2021 by Allison · 115 Comments

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Buttery brown sugar Oatmeal Bars with a fruity jam filling. This simple recipe comes together in minutes, with the crust and topping made from the same mixture. Use your favorite flavor of jam. 

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Hi, friends. Let’s cut right to the chase. Buttery brown sugar oatmeal cookie bars sandwiching a thick layer of jam. Are you in? Yep, me too.

There’s so much to love about this simple recipe. It comes together in just a few minutes, it can be enjoyed for breakfast or dessert, it can be served warm, chilled or room temp, and it can be made with any flavor of jam. Choose your favorite flavor of jam or preserves (I’m currently obsessed with Bonne Maman Four Fruits Preserves).

You might also like: Almond Jam Bars.

Jump to:
  • How to Make Oatmeal Bars
  • Recipe tip
  • Serving and storage
  • Related recipes
  • Recipe
Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

This is a super simple recipe, with the crust and topping made from the same mixture. Here’s how to do it.

How to Make Oatmeal Bars

  1. Crust/topping mixture: Whisk melted butter, brown sugar and vanilla. Add flour, oats, salt, and baking soda. Stir it up until you have an oatmeal cookie dough.
  2. Press it in the pan: Dump a little more than half of the mixture into a 8×8 pan and flatten it into an even layer. Bake the crust for 10 minutes.
  3. Add the jam and topping: Top the warm crust with jam, spreading it all the way to the corners. Crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture over the jam and return to the oven for about 15 more minutes.
Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars
Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Recipe tip

Line your 8×8 baking pan with foil or parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on two opposite sides. Once the bars are cool you can lift them right out of the pan and cut them easily.

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Serving and storage

After baking, allow the bars to cool, and you’ll be able to cut them into clean slices. I often serve these bars at room temperature or chilled so they’re firm enough to be held easily.

If you’d prefer to eat them warm, you can! They will be a bit less stable and need to be eaten with a fork or spoon (see photo below). When serving these warm I like to top them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s like eating a fruit crisp that is heavy on the topping, with jam instead of fruit. Swoon.

Store leftover tightly covered at room temperature or the refrigerator for 3 days.

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

What’s not to love about a dessert that can feed a crowd, travel well, and maybe also be served for breakfast (there are oats in there!). I mean, yes, technically this is a dessert, but if you wanted to cut yourself a square to nibble on along with your morning coffee I would pass zero judgment. I only ask that you invite me over to join you.

Try the Nutella, chocolate, or lemon version of these bars: Nutella Stuffed Oatmeal Cookie Bars, Oatmeal Fudge Bars, Lemon Crumb Bars

Related recipes

PEACH CRUMB BARS

BERRY CRUMBLE BARS

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MAPLE PECAN PIE BARS

WHITE CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BARS

SPECIAL K BARS

Recipe

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

Jam Filled Oatmeal Bars

 Buttery brown sugar Oatmeal Bars with a fruity jam filling.
5 from 56 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 242kcal
Author: Allison – Celebrating Sweets

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 1 cup old fashioned oats
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (it should be soft and fresh)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • generous ¾ cup jam or preserves

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with foil or parchment paper (leaving overhang on two sides for easy removal). Spray with nonstick spray.
  • In a medium bowl, combine, flour, oats, salt and baking soda.
  • In a large bowl, whisk butter, brown sugar and vanilla until well combined (this will take at least one full minute). Add dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
  • Pull out about ¾ cup (a little less than half) of the cookie dough and set that portion aside (it will be the topping). Dump the remaining dough into the prepared pan and press it down into a flat even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. 
  • Remove from the oven and carefully spread the jam on top of the cookie base. Take the reserved cookie dough and crumble it over the top of the jam layer. Return to the oven and bake for 14-16 more minutes, until the topping is light golden brown. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool. 
    These bars are soft when they are warm (they likely won't hold together). To firm them up they can be stored at cool temp or refrigerated.

Notes

I prefer a jam that has a balance of sweet and tart flavors. I’ve used Tart Cherry Jam as well as Bonne Maman Four Fruit Preserves.

Nutrition

Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 64mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 290IU | Vitamin C: 1.9mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 0.9mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
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Comments

  1. Kim Watson

    February 11, 2021 at 4:55 pm

    5 stars
    I made these and sent them in to my husband’s shop and they went crazy! I send them in twice a week now, and if they’re late, he hears about it! I use either raspberry or marionberry jam, and they are now one of our very favorite treats to bake!

    Reply
    • Allison

      February 12, 2021 at 10:41 am

      I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂

      Reply
  2. lisa constantino

    April 14, 2021 at 11:19 am

    Love these..added some ricotta swirled in with the jam..😋

    Reply
  3. Carol Loe

    May 07, 2021 at 8:50 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! Everyone loved them. Tried strawberry rhubarb & next am trying a blueberry and also sour cherry.

    Reply
    • Allison

      May 07, 2021 at 9:12 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to comment.

      Reply
      • Victoria Cook

        July 24, 2021 at 6:53 pm

        5 stars
        These were so good I had to stop myself from eating half the pan!

      • Allison

        August 01, 2021 at 9:20 am

        Ha! I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂

  4. Helen

    May 19, 2021 at 5:36 am

    The bars look great! I was wondering if I could add some chocolate chips also?

    Reply
    • Allison

      May 19, 2021 at 9:44 am

      Sure. You can add them when adding the topping. Maybe 1/4 to 1/3 cup? I also have a chocolate (Nutella) version of these bars: Nutella Stuffed Oatmeal Cookie Bars Enjoy!

      Reply
  5. Deb in SC

    August 24, 2021 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    OMWord!!!! I made these with good quality raspberry jam and they were TO DIE FOR!!! So easy and so quick…thank you so much for this recipe. What I also appreciated is that after cooling and chilling, they cut PERFECTLY after I lifted them out of the pan. I can’t wait to try the rest of the recipes listed with this one!

    Reply
    • Allison

      August 25, 2021 at 8:04 am

      Thanks for the kind review. I’m glad you enjoyed them. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Carla

    September 09, 2021 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    My children love this easy to make snack.
    I am planning to teach my 13 year old to make it. She loves baking.

    Reply
    • Allison

      September 14, 2021 at 9:40 am

      Fantastic! Enjoy!

      Reply
  7. T

    September 11, 2021 at 1:29 pm

    5 stars
    This has become my signature dessert to bring to events! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve made this recipe, and it always turns out great. I always at least double it, sometimes make it in bars in a pan, but often make these in a cupcake tin so they’re easier to grab at parties! I like to make all different flavors depending on the season, and sometimes stop at our local ice cream shop for a pint of vanilla bean ice cream to top these bars. Seriously, a huge hit. I am going to try crafting a spiced apple filling for fall! Thank you!!!

    Reply
    • Allison

      September 14, 2021 at 9:37 am

      You’re welcome! I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Miranda

    September 16, 2021 at 6:02 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time baking an oatmeal bar, I thought I needed to double the crust as there was barely enough to cover the bottom of my 8” pan. Well I had no clue it would rise so much and ended up taking 45 min to bake solid enough for the jam not to collapse through. My crust is thick but the bar is so delicious! Will definitely keep this recipe!

    Reply
  9. Laurie Reemsnyder

    September 18, 2021 at 1:38 pm

    5 stars
    This was so insanely easy and good, I “ran out” of the first batch and had to make a second one! There is absolutely nothing to not like about these! Perfect taste, texture, and sweetness. Brings me back to when I was a kid and we’d go to a nearby bakery! Heavenly!

    Reply
    • Allison

      September 20, 2021 at 9:06 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂

      Reply
  10. monica

    September 18, 2021 at 7:23 pm

    would I be able to use a 9 inch square pan to make these?

    Reply
    • Allison

      September 20, 2021 at 9:04 am

      I wouldn’t recommend it. The bars are pretty thin in an 8×8, I’m not sure that you’ll have enough for a 9×9.

      Reply
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aboutHi, I'm Allison! I'm a busy wife and mom with a passion for cooking and baking. This is where you'll find my favorite homemade recipes, designed to help you make every day delicious! Read more....

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