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These easy jam bars feature a buttery crumb crust and a sweet layer of your favorite jam—apricot, raspberry, strawberry, or any flavor you love. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this classic bar cookie is quick to prepare, perfectly nostalgic, and ideal for dessert, snacking, or sharing.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’re going to fall in love with these jam bars for so many reasons. This treasured recipe was given to me years ago by my dear friend Bev on a handwritten notecard—one of those recipes that instantly feels special and worth keeping forever. They’re buttery, sweet, and perfectly nostalgic, with a tender crumb and a layer of your favorite jam tucked inside.
Made with simple pantry ingredients and easy to customize with any jam you love, these bars are just as perfect for sharing with friends as they are for enjoying with a cup of tea. Some recipes are more than just dessert—they’re memories, and this one is truly a keeper.
Ingredients Needed
- All Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Brown Sugar
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Butter, salted, cold
- Jam, your flavor of choice
How to Make Jam Bars
- Combine baking powder, brown sugar, old fashioned oats, and butter in a large bowl using a pastry cutter or a fork to combine ingredients until nice and crumbly.
- Press 2/3 of the dough mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan.
- Cover crust with 1 cup of your jam and then top with remaining flour/oat mixture.
- Bake at 350 degrees F oven for 35 minutes or until nice and golden brown.
- Allow them to cool and then cut them into bars and then of course enjoy!
Tips from leigh Anne
- Use good-quality jam: Since jam is the star of the show, choose a flavor you love and one with great texture. Apricot, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, strawberry, or even mixed berry all work beautifully. My favorite brand is Bonne Maman.
- Don’t overfill with jam: A thin, even layer of jam is perfect. Too much can make the bars overly sticky and difficult to cut neatly once baked.
- Press the crust firmly: Use the bottom of a measuring cup or glass to gently press the crust into the pan. This helps create an even base that holds together when sliced.
- Line your pan with parchment: Leaving a little overhang makes it easy to lift the bars out of the pan for clean, bakery-style slices.
- Let them cool completely before cutting: As tempting as it is to dive in, letting the bars cool allows the jam to set and gives you clean, beautiful squares.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use homemade jam?
Yes! Homemade jam works beautifully in this recipe. Just make sure it isn’t too runny, or the bars may become overly soft. My favorite homemade strawberry jam recipe would work great.
Do jam bars need to be refrigerated?
No refrigeration is needed. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days. If your kitchen is warm, you can refrigerate them to help them stay firm.
Can I freeze jam bars?
Absolutely. Once cooled and cut, place the bars in a freezer-safe container with parchment between layers and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Why did my bars crumble when cutting?
They were likely cut while still warm. Let the bars cool completely so the jam can set and the crust can firm up for clean slices.
These jam bars are a simple, comforting treat that never goes out of style. With a buttery crumb and a sweet layer of your favorite jam, they’re perfect for sharing, gifting, or enjoying with a cozy cup of tea. Passed along to me years ago on a handwritten notecard from a dear friend, this recipe is as meaningful as it is delicious—and one you’ll find yourself making again and again.
Check out more of my favorite dessert bars:
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Jam Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
- 3/4 cup cold butter
- 1 cup jam of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
- Mix the flour, baking powder, oats and brown sugar together.
- Cut in butter until crumbly.
- Pat 2/3 of this mixture into a 8 x 13 baking pan that has been lined with parchment paper
- Spread with jam
- Top with remaining flour/oat mixture
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes
- Cool and cut into bars.
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Heather @ What Does She Do All Day? says
I just made these last week with peach preserves and they were delicious!
Leigh Anne says
I can’t wait to try them with another flavor – peach sounds delicious!
Valerie A. H. says
I love the senimental value of handwritten recipes too. I have handed out many through the years. Here is a recipe that my friend Kathy hand wrote for me back in the late 80’s. She was working in a little English tea bakery and wrote down this recipe from “The English Connection”.
Chocolate Truffle Pie
Beat until well combined and smooth:
1 1b. cream cheese
1 cup 10x sugar (make sure it’s 10x)
Gradually add I cup whipping cream. Beat until fluffy. Add raspberry jam or other flavorings as desired (1 t. almond extract for plain truffle). Spread in baked grahm cracker crust.
Melt 1 heaping cup chocolate chips. Stir in 1/2 cup margarine. Whisk in 1 cup whipping cream. Pour over cream cheese mixture. Makes 1 10″ Truffle Pie.
Valerie A. H. says
Even though it’s not on the recipe, let this dessert set up in the refrigerator for several hours at least before eating.
Leigh Anne says
Valerie, Thanks so much for sharing – sounds yummy!!!
Pam Stone says
My mother passed away last year…I have her recipes, but would love to have had the history behind them. Thanks for sharing the small and simple things!
Katie says
I have a lot of homemade apricot jam that needs to be used. This would be a great way to use it up!
Pat G. says
Good Morning…this looks great. Were you planning to share the recipe?
Leigh Anne says
Sorry – the recipe is there now!
Leigh Anne says
Pat – Recipe is there now – sorry about that!