These raspberry crumb bars are buttery, soft and filled with a sweet raspberry jam layer. One dough makes both the base and the crumble topping, so they come together fast and taste amazing.
These raspberry crumb bars are the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a buttery, tender dough and a thick layer of raspberry jam in the middle. Like in my white chocolate almond jam squares, one dough makes both the soft base and the crumble topping, so they’re simple to make and bake up beautifully golden.
Raspberry crumble bars are a lovely treat any time of year and a delicious addition to dessert rotations with my apple pie bars and pineapple coconut squares. Make a batch in the summer when berries are in season or add them to your holiday cookie trays for something fruity and festive. They’re easy to transport, fun to slice and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea!
Why You’ll Love These Raspberry Crumble Bars
- Simple, one-dough recipe: These raspberry jam bars do not need extra kneading, chilling or complicated steps. Just mix, press, crumble and bake.
- Sweet-tart raspberry center: A thick layer of raspberry jam adds a bright flavor that balances the buttery crust. Dust with powdered sugar for a classic bakery-style finish.
Ingredient Notes
- Raspberry jam: Seedless jam gives a smooth, sweet-tart filling that spreads easily and bakes into a thick layer.
- Cornstarch and water: Thickens the jam slightly so it doesn’t run or sink into the crust while baking.
- Butter: Softened butter is creamed with the sugar to create a tender, buttery dough that doubles as both the base and the crumbly streusel topping.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps it cream into a light, soft texture.
- Egg: Adds structure and helps bind the dough.
- Vanilla or almond extract: Either adds a warm, sweet flavor, but I love how almond pairs especially well with sweet raspberry.
- All-purpose flour and salt: Flour forms the base of the dough, while a little salt balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
How to Make Raspberry Crumb Bars
Start by thickening the raspberry jam. Stir the cornstarch and water until smooth, then gently warm the jam in a small pot and mix them together. After a couple minutes, it will thicken slightly.
Transfer it to a bowl, let it cool and chill so it’s ready when you assemble the bars.
In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then mix in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour and salt just until a soft dough forms. It should hold together when pressed but still feel a little crumbly.
Press about half of the dough into the prepared square pan. Spread the chilled raspberry filling on top, then crumble the remaining dough over the jam.
The uneven pieces will bake into a tender, golden topping. Bake until the crumb bars are lightly golden and set around the edges.
Let them cool for 10 minutes, then lift them from the pan to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar and cut into squares.
recipe tips
- If your raspberry jam has seeds, press it through a fine sieve before thickening it. This keeps the filling smooth and lets the crumble layers really stand out.
- Line the pan with parchment, leaving a slight overhang on two sides. It makes lifting the baked bars out of the pan so much easier.
- An offset spatula works well for spreading the jam in an even layer without disturbing the bottom crust.
- Look for a gentle bubbling around the edges before taking the bars out of the oven. It’s a good sign the filling has set.
- Let the bars cool completely before cutting. The jam firms up as it cools, so you’ll get clean, tidy squares instead of a runny middle.
Variations
- Try other jams: Strawberry, apricot jam, blueberry or mixed berry jam all work well. Just thicken them the same way so the filling sets into a neat layer.
- Oat streusel topping: For a heartier streusel-like crumb, mix a handful of old fashioned rolled oats with a pinch of cinnamon into the portion of dough you’ll use for the topping.
- Lemon glaze: Drizzle a simple glaze made with powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice over the cooled bars for a bright, citrusy finish.
- Almond twist: Use almond extract instead of vanilla or sprinkle a few sliced almonds over the top before baking. It pairs beautifully with raspberry.
These Raspberry Crumb Bars are the perfect balance of sweet fruit and buttery crunch, making them a treat everyone will ask for again. Enjoy a square with coffee, pack some for gifting, because these bars never last long! Enjoy!
- 1 cup raspberry seedless jam
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
- 2¼ cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons powdered sugar
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In a small bowl sift in the cornstarch add the water and stir until smooth.
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In a small pot add the jam and heat on low for 1 minute, add the cornstarch mixture, stir to combine, continue to cook on low stirring constantly until thickened approximately 2-4 minutes, move to a small bowl, let cool, cover and chill for 1 hour.
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Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C. Line an 8 inch / 20 cm square pan with parchment paper.
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In the stand mixer beat the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes or until creamy, add the egg and vanilla, beat until smooth, add the flour and salt, beat just to combine.
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Divide the dough in half, place one part on the bottom of the prepared pan, spread evenly with the jam filling, crumble the remaining dough on top of the jam.
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Bake until golden approximately 40-45 minutes, let cool in the pan 10-15 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar before cutting into squares and serving. Enjoy!
How to store the raspberry crumb bars?
Keep the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4-5 days, or refrigerate up to a week. If stacking, place parchment between layers so the crumble topping doesn’t stick.
Or freeze the sliced bars on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment between layers. They keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Calories: 272kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 139mg | Potassium: 43mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 371IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg | Phosphorus: 33mg
recipe FAQs
Seedless raspberry jam works best because it spreads smoothly and sets into a thick layer once baked. If you only have preserves, they can be used too, just warm and strain out the seeds first.
These raspberry jam bars bake up with a soft, tender crumble rather than a crunchy topping. If the top seems too soft, give it a few extra minutes in the oven to brown slightly. Also make sure the butter is softened, not melted, when mixing the dough. Melted butter can make the topping too soft.
These bars bake up with a soft, tender crumble rather than a crunchy topping. If the top seems too soft, give it a few extra minutes in the oven to brown slightly. Also make sure the butter is softened, not melted, when mixing the dough. Melted butter can make the topping too soft.
Keep the cooled bars in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4-5 days, or refrigerate up to a week. If stacking, place parchment between layers so the crumble topping doesn’t stick.
Yes. Freeze the sliced bars on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag with parchment between layers. They keep well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
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