You probably have all the ingredients you need to make these jam bars right now! They remind me of Linzer cookies, but take about half the effort.
It’s a recipe I’ve made on this blog before, but using leftover raspberry preserves. I found it while thumbing through my Food Network magazine, and was instantly drawn to it, because I had everything I needed to make them in my pantry.
You’d think with this current “shelter-in-place” that I’d be baking up a storm with my kid. But truth be told, he’s not all that into cooking with me…I know…oh the irony!
But he did willingly agree to be on camera as my sous chef and whip up this easy treat, and I was pleasantly surprised at how into it he was.
He loved making the crumbly dough mixture and pressing it into the pan with his tiny hands. It’s actually a great sensory toddler activity because it reminds me of kinetic sand!
Then he spread on the jam and sprinkled the crumbly mixture on top, as if making a pizza. For a three-year-old, I’d say he did a really great job!
The taste test part of the video was something I was curious and a little anxious about because toddlers do NOT hold back their true reactions when it comes to food they don’t like. I figured that even if he didn’t like it, I’d just roll with it because I KNOW these bars are really good. I mean…c’mon…buttery shortbread and jam? What’s not to like?
Watch us making these 5 Ingredient Jam Bars in our VIDEO BELOW:
They’re a perfect weekend or “quarantine” activity either alone or with kids. I will say that Lincoln stole the show, which is to be expected. I think YouTube may be in his future…just sayin…
I don’t know why I don’t make these buttery babies more often. Now that I know Lincoln likes making and eating them too, it’s an activity I think I will continue to do with him.
Feel free to deviate from the recipe and get creative. I used strawberry jam this time, because that’s what I had, but you can go nuts and experiment with grape jelly or apricot preserves!
We’ve been eating these jam bars all week. I store them in the fridge and nibble on one with coffee as an afternoon pick-me-up. The last time I posted about these bars I did say I might experiment the next time with a peanut butter crust, but oops…I forgot to do that! Oh well, it just gives me an excuse to make these again soon!
Jam Bars
You can eat these short bread jam bars for dessert, breakfast, or any time of the day! Recipe from Food Network Magazine
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups AP flour
- ⅓ cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons preserves (any flavor)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang. Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter with your fingers to make a crumbly dough.
- Refrigerate 2 tablespoons of the dough for the topping. Press the remaining dough into the baking dish; freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
- Bake the crust, 15 minutes. Spread the preserves on top, leaving a ½ inch border; crumble the reserved dough on top. Return to the oven and bake until the edges are golden brown, 25 more minutes. Let cool 20 minutes, then lift out of the pan and cut into squares.
I have used this recipe many times, exactly as written. I use whatever type of fruit jam I have available, and they are all good. This is one of my family’s favorite bar recipes. Thank you.