Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup chopped nuts, such as almonds
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 cups apple butter or your favorite fruit preserves
Instructions
- Get the oven ready: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 9-inch baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some parchment hanging over the sides.
- Make the oat mixture: Add the oats, flour, wheat germ, baking soda, butter, nuts, and honey to a food processor. Pulse until combined and the oats and nuts are broken into small pieces.
- Build the first layer: Press all but 1 cup of the oat mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Add the fruit: Spread the apple butter or preserves evenly over the oat base.
- Add the crumble: Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the fruit layer.
- Bake: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden brown.
- Cool and cut: Let the bars cool completely. Use the parchment paper to lift them from the pan and transfer to a cutting board. For cleaner cuts, refrigerate for about 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Line the pan with parchment: It makes lifting and cutting the bars much easier.
- Chill before cutting: Refrigerating the baked bars helps them firm up for cleaner squares.
- Switch the fruit: Use your favorite jam, preserves, or apple butter.
- Make them nut-free: Simply leave out the nuts or replace them with extra oats.
- Make a batch ahead: These bars are easy to portion and pack for snacks throughout the week.
