I’ve been on a healthy eating regimen as of late and sweets and I haven’t been too friendly as of late. Well, on the weekend I broke down and decided that treats and I needed to be reaquainted with each other. I opened up my vegetarian Rebar cookbook and found that I basically had all the ingredients to make a sweet looking snack. The recipe called for raspberry jam (which I didn’t have), so I subsituted some sour cherry jam. I also included some unsweetened coconut because I LOVE coconut and figured it would taste great in this recipe (it did). I wasn’t too crazy about the squares on the first day (we had them still warmish)…but somehow in the following days, this bar recipe kept getting better and better! I’m so making this again….but not for a little while — y’know, health benefits and all.
cherry oat bars
Recipe from Rebar cookbook3/4 c unbleached flour
3/4 c whole wheat flour
2 c rolled oats
1 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c unsweetened flake coconut
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c plus 2 T soft butter
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 c cherry jam (insert your favorite jam here)1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10″ by 15″ baking dish and set aside.
2. Place all ingredients, except the egg and the jam, into a mixer & mix throughly. Remove half of the misture and set aside. Blend the egg into the remaining mixture and press it into the prepared baking sheet. Bake until firm and lightly browned (about 10 minutes).
3. Remove the crust from the oven and spread the jam evenly over the surface. Sprinkle the top with the remaining crumbly mixture. Bake 10 minutes until golden brown. Cool and cut into bars.
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Oooh, those sound delicious…
yummy yummy!
I love this kind of thing, kickpleat! Rich and buttery, nubbly with oats, and capped off with a good swipe of jam…yum!
Oh my! These sound wonderful. I just bought a jar of delicious looking blueberry jam and I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Yup Rorie, I think coconut put them over the top in terms of tastiness!
Crystal & Rachel, these were the yummiest. I’m so sad they’re now all gone….
Molly, you said it better than I could have! Totally buttery nubblyness 🙂
Michele, I bet these would be great with blueberry jam!
Oooh, I bet the coconut really livened up the flavor! These sweet snacks sound pretty good and sort of 1950’s-esque – yum.
They look good! I am going to have to try them. Thanks for the recipe!
Okay these bars look right up my alley… Looks great!
I love sour cherry jam! Great substitution; I bet it made the yummy bars even better than they’d been with raspberry jam!
Michelle, they are a snap to make and so tasty! Let me know if you give it a go!
Joe, they are awesome!
I think so too, Tania!
whole wheat flour! that’s a fabulous idea. i bought a bag recently, thinking it’s time to start “baking healthy”…haven’t used any of it yet. except by mistake once for ginger chocolate chip cookies (not a good idea). 🙂
Hey J, last week I made the jam squares in the new Martha Stewart baking book (!) and, based on this recipe, I think you’d love them. Let me know if you want that recipe.
Genevieve, it’s easy to use whole wheat flour! You can always build up to it using half ww & half all purpose flour. It works well in muffins, coffee cakes, pancakes and these oaty bars!
Craig!! Yes, give me the martha recipe and I’m still waiting on your friend’s veggie chili recipe!!