No creaming butter, no electric mixers. All you need is a bowl, a wooden spoon and 10 minutes prep to make these ridiculously easy Raspberry Bars. From scratch – no packet mixes used in my kitchen!
These Raspberry Bars have an oatmeal biscuit base, a layer of raspberry jam, then topped with an oatmeal crumble using the same mix as the base. I used raspberry but you can use any jam you want!
THE EASIEST EVER RASPBERRY JAM BARS!!
Australian’s have a thing about calling recipes “Best Ever”. Like “Best Ever Chocolate Cake”. If I ever come across a recipe called “Best Ever” something, I know it’s by an Australian!
So calling these “Easiest Ever” Raspberry Jam Bars instead of just Easy Raspberry Bars just slipped out without thinking. I was going to correct it, but then I decided not to. Because I really do think these are the Easiest Ever Raspberry Bars. Because this is not made the usual way Raspberry Bars are made. 🙂
Here’s why these are so easy – all other Raspberry Bar recipes I have seen require softened butter to be creamed using a stand mixer or handheld electric beater or it’s made like shortbread by rubbing / cutting butter into the flour.
My recipe is made with melted butter with egg used to slightly soften and bind the mixture (most raspberry bar recipes do not use egg), and the end result is very similar to the biscuit base made using the traditional method The biscuit base of the traditional method is slightly softer, slightly more shortbread like. But honestly, for the convenience, it is a very small compromise to me!
Confession time: I ran out of RASPBERRY JAM!!! I ran out of strawberry jam too, so I had to make this with half raspberry and half blueberry jam! ?
This really might be one of the fastest bars ever to make. Well, these 5 Ingredient Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars are a hot contender for the World’s Speediest Bars too. 🙂
I’m hoping one of my taste testers will be reading this post about what they think of these easy Raspberry Bars! I’ve made them about 5 times in the last week, tweaking and improving and comparing to the traditional way of making Raspberry Bars!! – Nagi x
MORE IRRESISTIBLE BARS AND SLICES
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars (no bake!)
- Brownies!!
- Caramel Slice (aka Millionaire’s Shortbread!) – the great Aussie favourite!
- Strawberry Bars – made with tons of fresh strawberries!
- Easy Lemon Bars
- Salted Caramel Stuffed Brownies – ooh la la!!
PS Those caramelised bits along the edges are the BEST! Like a chewy candy!!
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Easiest Ever Raspberry Jam Bars
Ingredients
- 125 g / 1 stick unsalted butter , melted
- 1 1/2 cups / 225g plain flour (all purpose flour)
- 1 1/2 cups / 135g rolled oats (traditional oats, not quick, instant or steel cut)
- 1/2 cup / 110g brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup raspberry jam (or other flavour of choice)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C/350 (fan forced). (Note 1)
- Spray a 20cm/9" square tin with oil and line with baking/parchment paper with overhang (so it can be lifted out once cooked).
- Mix together butter, flour, oats, sugar, baking powder and salt until you can no longer see white bits of flour. Add egg and mix.
- Place 2 1/2 cups of the mixture in the tin and press into base. Spread with jam (Note 2), then use your hands to crumble the remaining mixture over the top (Note 3).
- Bake for 30 - 35 minutes or until the top is deep golden. Remove and allow to cool in the tin before lifting out of the tin using the baking paper.
- Cut into squares. Serve at room temperature. Store in airtight container.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer – Suspiciously sniffing a runaway raspberry, disappointed he didn’t get to taste test the Raspberry Bars!
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Made these and they were loved by everyone!!! My eldest daughter wants me to make it with Nutella in the middle….. would that work??
I’d love to know Leeanne! N x
Gave it a bash with Nutella I really liked them, my 14 year old said they weren’t sweet enough 😒, my 13 year old loved them but said she prefers the jam version!
Just made this and it’s fantastic. I’m thinking of drowning it in some warm custard for a super tasty dessert. 😊
You’d be mad not to Kirsty!! N x
This was such an easy recipe. Used the raspberry jam, next time want to try plum or apricot.
Yes – you can use any jam you like here, it’s so versatile! N x
Delicious! Waiting to eat it once completely cooled was a major fail. My husband and I stood there with a spoon taking big mouthfuls. Whoops!
Love this!!! Shhh I wont tell anyone 🙂 N x
Soooo easy and delicious but the greaseproof paper stuck to the jam 😭 may reduce the sugar a little next time as I don’t have a super sweet tooth. Thanks for the great recipe!
Made this with Strawberry & Champagne jam with fantastic results. I reduced the sugar a little.
This was just as easy and delicious as promised! Family loved it and it disappeared within 48 hours. Will definitely make it again. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi! Wanted to make this for a group but one person is lactose intolerant. How would substituting margarine for butter affect it?
Hi Molly, I haven’t tried but I imagine it would be fine!
This recipe is a hit! But my crust tasted more cakey rather than a biscuit. What might have gone wrong?
Hi Vanessa, did you make any amendments to the recipe by any chance? – N x
Another fantastic recipe….so easy and so easy!
Thanks so much Caroline!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I didn’t know it was possible to do jam bars without butter (or shortening)! After reading your recipe it was so easy to make it vegan and gluten free with a flax egg, coconut oil, 3/4 cup of gf flour and 3/4 cup of almond meal. It was perfect. I might just add a bit more salt next time.
That’s so great to know April!
These came out great! Made my version vegan with a flax egg and vegan butter and it was a hit!
I’ve made these several times and they are TO DIE FOR!! Thank you for coming up with such an easy and tasty recipe! I add a little cinnamon to the mixture and I also sprinkle powdered sugar on top after it cools and when people come over they think I must run a little bakery on the side! 😀
Hi Nagi, I absolutely adore your recipes however this slice did not work for me. The end result was very dry and I thought it lacked flavour as well. I added some fine desiccated coconut to the crumble mixture for added flavour and that did not help it.
I’m sorry to hear that Marie. I don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before!! Is there a chance you overcooked it?? Or if it lacked flavour, do you think there may have been something wrong with the jam?? N xx
Absolutely delicious and so easy to make! I made both a gluten and a gluten free version with success. I used my homemade strawberry jam, as that is what I made this year. I will definitely make it again. Thank you for your wonderful recipe!
I’m pleased you enjoyed it Laura, thanks for letting me know! N x
Tried with Lingonberry jam and I love it. Would Nutella work too?
Now you have ME thinking…..
So yum and so easy!! Best with a cup of tea! Have passed it on to my mum, and I bake this regularly for my father in law who loved them!!! 😊
Awww, I love hearing that AR! PS You’ve been BUSY! 😉 N xxx
Hi Nagi,
I made the caramel slice and sausage rolls for a party, everyone loved them both!
I wanna try these and was wondering if 押し麦 would work ok? (I live in Japan). They look a bit different to the rolled oats you find in Australia or NZ.
Hi,
Made these bars today. Although they turned out delicious the top did not turn out crumbly. Before I added the egg the mixture was flaky. But once I mixed the egg it stuck to my fingers. Don’t know what I did wrong. Another question, my 1.5 cups of flour weren’t 225 g when I weighed it. Similarly the oats were less in weight.
Hi Amna! So the mixture is kind of a tough dough texture so you can press it in the tin to make the base. Then you need to sort of make it crumble to do the topping. You do need to sort of rub your fingers together to make it crumble. The weights will be slightly less depending on the country you are in because cup sizes do differ which is why I provide both – for consistency purposes depending on which country the person making this is in. Once baked, the top is fall apart crumbly, it should be set but bumpy and crunchy. Is that what it was like? 🙂
Hi Nagi,
Yes the top was crunchy and crumbly. I think I messed up the proportions. Need to invest in Canadian measuring cups! Will be trying out other receipts soon.
Thx a lot.
Just made this and they were divine! Tasted even better the next day. Couldn’t have been easier also. Keeper 🙂
Woo hoo! So glad Nancy, thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know! 🙂 N x