Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (2024)

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by Todd + Diane

Apricot bars are one of our favorite desserts to make when they’re sweet and in season. If you can find a good apricot jam, that works great too.Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (1)

Fresh Apricot Bars

Lately it seems our cooking at home has been driven by an over abundance of ingredients. Creativity from Copiousness, if you will. Not that we are complaining. Quite the opposite really, we couldn’t be happier.The garden is going blitzkrieg with its tomato production but we’re hoping the rats don’t get to them before we do. Driving up to Palm Springs a couple weeks ago we spotted the Dowling Fruit Orchard stand on the fringes of one of their orchards. We both looked at each other, not even needing to say that on the way home we must stop there.

Lucky, on our way back we had just made it, 5 minutes before close! Flats of peaches for less than $10. Flats that tasted like home garden picked. Mounds of apricots. Watermelons. Oh the fruits in all their glory! We snatched up as much as we figured we would be able to eat in a few brief minutes, not wanting to delay the hard working staff in getting them home.

Amazing Fresh Apricots

We ate, sucking juices as we bit, nearly half the flat of peaches on the way home. Probably would have ate it all if it weren’t for the apricots in all their deliciousness.

Once back home, the boxes of recently purchased tastiness now had to compete with the garden’s bounty. With the apricots life short lived, we made these fresh apricot bars to enjoy them a little longer. Hope you love them as much as we did. The apricots were briefly cooked to help break them down, then pureed and spread over, and baked with a crisp type of crust with the oats, butter, and brown sugar. It is a great way to use up an abundance of apricots. If you happen to get some apricots which are bit of a let down in straight snacking ability, these apricot bars will give them a chance to regain glory.

-Diane & Todd

2019 Update: Since that trip we planted a Blenheim Royal apricot tree. We’re now indulging in home grown apricots that are sweet like candy. And using all the extras for our apricot bars!

This recipe was originally published in 2013 and re-published in 2019.

Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (5)

Fresh Apricot Bar Recipe

Yield: 12 Bars

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Makes great use of an overabundance of apricots, or revitalizes the flavor of off-season apricots. If you don't have fresh apricots on hand, substitute apricot jam. If your apricots aren't very sweet, adjust sugar amount to taste.

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Ingredients

  • 2 lbs (910g) ripe Apricots , cut in half & seeds removed
  • 3/4 cup (150g) sugar , or to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier), optional
  • 1 cup (125g) flour
  • 1/2 cup (110g) packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1/2 cup (113g) cold unsalted butter (1 stick) , cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup (90g) old fashioned oats

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2 quart baking dish or 10" tart pan.

  • Combine the apricots and sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the apricots are soft (will vary tremendously depending on the ripeness of the apricots-very ripe apricots will only take minute or two - very firm apricots may take up to 10 minutes or more). Stir in the orange liqueur.

  • Puree the apricots in a blender or food processor until smooth. Pour into a bowl and set in freezer to chill while you make the crust.

  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda. Pinch in the butter pieces into the flour mixture (or cut them into the flour with a pastry cutter), until it resembles coarse sand. Pinch in the oats until well combined.

  • Press 2/3rds of the crust mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish (if using a tart pan, press the crust mixture up the sides too). Spread the apricot puree over the crust bottom. Sprinkle the remaining crust over the top of the apricot puree.

  • Bake for 50-65 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.

    Allow to cool, then slice and serve. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information per Serving

Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 43g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 125mg, Potassium: 246mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 1692IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 25mg, Iron: 1mg

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 255

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Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (6)

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53 comments on “Fresh Apricot Bars”

  1. Deb August 4, 2021 @ 6:17 am Reply

    This was delicious!! Made the recipe as printed with no changes. the texture and thickness of the puree was perfect.Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (9)

  2. Francine July 23, 2020 @ 6:45 am Reply

    Do you think I could substitute butter with earth balance in this recipe without ruining it?

    • July 29, 2020 @ 2:13 pm Reply

      Hi Francine,
      We haven’t tried it with anything other than butter, but it should work. We’d love to hear from you if you try it.
      Thanks!

  3. Sofia July 10, 2020 @ 6:14 am Reply

    This is really delicious! Made two adjustments – removed sugar from the apricot mixture as my apricots were overripe and very sweet – and added some chia seeds to the blitzed apricots to make it a bit less liquid. This is a delicious dish and a great way to use apricots!Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (10)

  4. Cheryl December 30, 2019 @ 5:18 pm Reply

    I just made the recipe with puréed apricots that I had frozen. I had some apricot liquor that I forgot to add but did put in a generous tablespoon of so of my homemade apricot jam and reduced sugar. I also toasted and chopped some pecans for the crust. I wasn’t sure of amount of apricots so I slightly reduced crust recipe and baked in square pan. If it works well, I still have more frozen puréed apricots from last year’s bounty in my yard. I love apricot desserts so I think this may be a new favorite to enjoy in the winter when my apricots are gone.Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (11)

  5. Rheeta Baker November 19, 2019 @ 10:03 am Reply

    Yummy Wonderful!!! I had frozen apricots..merely thawed and used a 9X13, adding coconut and walnuts to crust (and dried cranberries but probably won’t add berries next time). THANKS SO MUCH!!Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (12)

  6. Stephen Moore July 28, 2019 @ 1:00 am Reply

    Living in China, I get excessive amounts of various traditional holiday foods each year, and every year I tell my students, friends, and their families to give me limited amounts because I have so many acquaintances that even if they each were to give me only 2-3 pieces of each item it would still be too much. They never listen. Each student will bring me 20-30 Chinese dumplings, 20-30 glutenous rice cakes, or 20-30 moon cakes. There is no way I can finish them. During June my students give me apricots. And as is common, they always give me more than I can eat. It does not help that fresh apricots have such a short shelf life. When I came across your recipe I was ecstatic. To be honest, the ones I made did not turn out looking as beautiful as the picture from your website, but they were delicious (and surprisingly simple) anyways.Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (13)

  7. Louise July 12, 2019 @ 10:04 pm Reply

    Very yummy recipe to use up some seriously ripe apricots. I had bought a box of apricots for jam but had so much jam and no more jars. Found this recipe and loved it. Used instant porridge as that was all that was in pantry and it turned out wellApricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (14)

    • July 13, 2019 @ 10:26 pm Reply

      Love the idea of using instant porridge! Thank you for sharing and so glad you enjoyed the recipe!

  8. Michele July 10, 2019 @ 8:41 pm Reply

    The apricot bars turned out yummy. ?. I didn’t have the gran mariner so used orange extract.Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (15)

  9. Michelle June 22, 2019 @ 4:50 pm Reply

    Tried these over the weekend and they were great! Thanks for a yummy recipe!Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (16)

  10. Dean June 22, 2019 @ 4:49 pm Reply

    It’s so hard to find good apricot recipes. I’m so glad to see yours! This turned out so good!Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (17)

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Apricot Bars Recipe with Fresh or with Apricot Jam | White On Rice Couple (2024)

FAQs

What do you eat with apricot jam? ›

5 Ways to use your French Apricot Jam
  1. On bread. Top sliced bread with butter and Apricot jam for a true French breakfast experience. ...
  2. In muffin. For a twist on the classic vanilla muffin, try your hand at a yummy apricot jam muffins recipe.
  3. With ice cream. ...
  4. With chicken. ...
  5. On cheese.
Jun 24, 2015

Can I use apricot jam instead of preserves? ›

Is Apricot Preserves the Same as Jam. Apricot preserves and apricot jam have very similar tastes, but there are a few notable differences. Preserves has a thick consistency, while jam has much more of a smooth texture. With preserves, you will find apricot chunks in the mixture vs just pureed fruit.

What tastes good with apricots? ›

On the savory side, apricot flavor provides a tangy, sweet complexity that enhances shellfish and meats such as poultry and pork. Apricot pairs wonderfully with cheeses, especially creamy and ripened styles like Brie and Roquefort.

What can I use instead of apricot jam to glaze? ›

Apple jam, strawberry or raspberry jam, or fig jam would all be good substitutes in dishes where the apricot flavor isn't as important. These fruit preserves can replace the sweetness and sticky texture of apricot jam, making them a good substitute for glazing applications.

What cheese goes best with apricot jam? ›

Apricot Jam and Grana Cheese or Mild Blue Cheese

Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano are all excellent options to pair with it. Blue cheese is another suitable pairing, but milder varieties like Gorgonzola Dolce, Danablu, or Blue Stilton would work best.

Are apricot preserves the same as apricot jam? ›

Fruit preserves are a lot like jam, but they're slightly thicker, thanks to the addition of large chunks or whole pieces of fruit instead of chopped, crushed, or puréed fruit. You'll usually find large bits of fruit suspended in preserves, as well as seeds, in many cases.

What is the difference between jam and apricot compote? ›

Most jam has a fairly uniform consistency, which makes it easy to spread. Compote, which may feature whole pieces of fruit, can be a bit harder to evenly spread. Jam is designed to last in the refrigerator; compote is not. Most compotes have less sugar than your typical jar of jam.

What is difference between jam and preserves? ›

Jam: Jam is made with mashed fruit. Preserves: Preserves have whole fruit or large pieces of fruit. Some fruits such as blackberries or raspberries will not stay whole during the processing so there may not be much difference between raspberry jam and raspberry preserve.

What spice enhances apricots? ›

Apricots work well in many savory dishes, particularly next to lamb and poultry, as well as in desserts and confections. Complementary spices include curry, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise.

What color compliments apricot? ›

Layer with Complementary Colors

Soft Apricot looks fabulous layered with other complementary tones like coral, peach, warm yellows, and pinks. Some great peach options are Sumptuous Peach (SW 6345) and Warming Peach (SW 6338).

Are apricots a healthy snack? ›

Rich in vitamin A, beta-carotene, and other carotenoids, apricots are excellent for promoting eye health. Lutein helps to support retina and lens health, while carotenoids and vitamin E support overall vision. Apricot nutrients also help to reduce the risk of macular degeneration and cataracts.

What is the closest fruit to an apricot? ›

The closest and most easily available alternatives to apricots are fresh or canned peaches and nectarines. Although they have different levels of sweetness and tartness, these summer fruits will still taste scrumptious in your tart, crumble, or other apricot recipes.

How can I thicken my apricot jam? ›

Use cornstarch.

Cornstarch is a common thickening agent for jams, sauces, soups, and glazes. It's also a viable option for jam recipes with less added sugar or ones that feature fruits with naturally less sugar or pectin.

Is marmalade and apricot jam the same? ›

In the end, the difference lies in two things: the amount of fruit in the final product and the consistency. Jam is a bit lumpy and may contain seeds, but not many actual bits of fruit. Citrusy marmalade will have bits of fruit and rind dotted throughout or will be completely chunky.

What do people eat jam with? ›

20 ways to use up jam
  • Peanut butter & jam pudding. The popular combo of peanut butter and jam works beautifully in this peanut butter & jam pudding. ...
  • Easy jam tarts. ...
  • Chilli jam ploughman's. ...
  • Blackberry doughnuts. ...
  • Classic Victoria sandwich. ...
  • Iced buns with jam & cream. ...
  • Jam turnovers. ...
  • Strawberry jam ripple ice cream.
Aug 29, 2023

Does apricot jam taste good with peanut butter? ›

The jam did pack a fairly might punch of heat, but was absolutely delicious paired with the sturdy, savory peanut butter.

What does jam taste good with? ›

Make a jam smoothie by blending your favorite jam with milk, fresh fruit, and yogurt. Serve marmalade and cream cheese on crackers for a simple appetizer. Use the jam as a glaze for pork or chicken, or add it to BBQ sauce for extra flavor. Add a dollop of raspberry jam to plain cheesecake for a burst of flavor.

Does apricot jam go well with peanut butter? ›

Peanut butter and apricot jam with spices

My go-to: Some variation of whole wheat (I like Arnold a lot), creamy peanut butter, apricot jam, with curry powder, cayenne, and black pepper. I like mine with more peanut butter than jelly.

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