Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars

, 27

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars are made with naturally sweetened apricot chia seed jam and topped with an irresistible coconut oatmeal crumble!

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

Have I told you guys how much I love summer fruit?

On one hand I wish it was in season all year but on the other hand, I think being without it for so long makes it taste that much sweeter when this time of year finally rolls around.

The only problem I have is that I always end up buying more than I can eat. I’m all like, I’ll take one of these and one of those and two of these. Then the next thing I know my drawer is stuffed full and I have three days to eat 10 pounds of fruit!

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

I always go crazy for all of the berries, peaches, plums, cherries and watermelon but for whatever reason, I pass right by the apricots. It’s like my brain filed them away in the boring folder or something. I don’t know why, they’re actually really good! And they’re also a great source of vitamins A and C. #glowingskin

I was determined to use them in a recipe this year and the first thing that popped into my mind was oatmeal bars made with coconut. Then I thought back about my Oatmeal Fig Bars and then I remembered a similar recipe that Angela shared around the same time that used almond meal and a raspberry chia seed jam.

So what you see today is basically a combination of both of those recipes. But rather than cook the filling, I kept things super easy by just throwing everything into the blender.

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

As the jam thickens in the refrigerator, you make the oatmeal crumble by combining the rest of the ingredients in one bowl. Again, super easy!

Then you press half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of a baking dish (lined with parchment paper), spread the apricot chia jam on top, sprinkle the remaining coconut oatmeal mixture on top of that, and then bake in the oven for 25 minutes.

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

That’s it! Then you can pick the whole thing up and shove it in your face. After it cools, of course.

No seriously though, don’t skip that step. The cooling part.

Because it’s a naturally gluten-free recipe (without any starches or gums) the bars themselves are somewhat delicate so allowing them to fully cool is necessary to assure that they hold together properly. Even after that, you won’t be able to pick them up and throw them at somebody’s head without them falling apart but they should be firm enough to pick up and shove into your own face.

Anyways, my point is, don’t pass by the apricots! They’ll taste soooo good with that coconut oatmeal crumble that all of the berries will be jealous. ;)

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars- naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and unbelievably delicious! #dairyfree

Print
Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Prep Time: 1 hour

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 25 minutes

Yield: 16

Ingredients

1 cup almond meal

1 cup oat flour

1 and 1/2 cup oats

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tablespoons ground chia seed or flax seed

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon melted unrefined coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons water

1/3 cup raw honey*

Apricot Chia Jam

3 cups chopped apricots

2 tablespoons honey*

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoon lemon juice (approx. 1 lemon)

3 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

  1. Prepare the jam by combining all of the ingredients into a blender or a food processor and then blend until smooth but still slightly chunky. Transfer the jam to a small bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour to thicken. For a faster option you can place it in the freezer and check for thickness at 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile prepare the oat crumble by combining the almond meal, oat flour, oats, coconut, baking soda, salt, and ground chia/flax seed in a large bowl. Stir the dry ingredients together then pour in the melted coconut oil, vanilla extract, water and honey. Continue to stir until everything is well combined.
  3. Preheat the oven to 350°F and then line an 8 x 8” baking dish with parchment paper. Transfer all but 1 cup of the oat crumble to the center of the baking dish and then use your hands to firmly press it down into the dish while spreading it out to the sides. If the dough is too sticky you can use another piece of parchment paper between your hands and the dough as you press.
  4. Once the bottom layer is even and smooth, spread the apricot jam on top. Using your fingers, crumble the remaining oat mixture on top. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until light golden brown on top.
  5. Allow the bars to cool for about an hour then transfer to the refrigerator overnight or the freezer for about 20 minutes to set. After that they should be firm enough to cut into 16 squares and serve. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

*you can substitute maple syrup to make these vegan but you will have to replace some of it with brown rice syrup to help bind them.

https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/apricot-oatmeal-crumble-bars/

Nutrition Facts for One Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bar

Apricot Oatmeal Crumble Bars Nutrition

by Sarah on July 9, 2015  //  Dessert, Gluten-Free Desserts, Vegan Desserts
27 Comments »