Raspberry Bars

There are definitely days that call for a long, drawn-out baking session. Especially if baking is relaxing for you, putting together a multi-layer cake or a batch of cream puffs may be on the top of your list. But if you're on the hunt for a quick and easy recipe to bake up something simple and delicious, you're in the right place.

Bars, or sometimes known as squares, can sometimes get a bad rap in the dessert world. They're a totally classic treat with a hint of nostalgia. For some, they may bring back memories of treats after a church service or snacks for an afternoon tea. But we're here to prove that bars are delicious and deserve equal footing on any dessert table.

These simple raspberry bars are packed with great flavor and texture. With a layer of simple cookie dough, plenty of raspberry jam, and streusel topping, they're the perfect afternoon snack or Sunday dinner dessert.

To get started on making a batch of raspberry bars, you'll first want to grab all of your ingredients. Double-check to make sure you have everything on hand before you begin baking.

For these raspberry bars, you'll need two sticks of unsalted butter, softened, one cup of white sugar, one cup of brown sugar, two eggs, two cups of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one teaspoon of baking soda, one teaspoon of salt, and one cup of raspberry jam.

To make the streusel topping for these raspberry bars, you'll need an additional five tablespoons of butter, melted, one cup of flour, three-quarters of a cup of brown sugar, a half of a teaspoon of salt, and half of a cup of oats.

Once your ingredients are prepped and ready, it's time to make the cookie dough for these raspberry bars. This will serve as the base of the bar.

First, start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit to allow your oven to warm up to the proper temperature. Then, in a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugars. Mix the butter to break it up, and then add in the brown sugar and white sugar. Mix until light and fluffy and well combined, and then mix in the eggs.

Once the butter and sugars are combined and the eggs have been added, it's time to finish the dough for these raspberry bars by adding the dry ingredients.

In a separate bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and stir well to combine. Then, gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Continue mixing until a soft dough forms. The dough will be slightly wet and sticky, which is totally fine for this step. 

To make the streusel topping for the raspberry bars, start by melting the five tablespoons of butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Next, combine the three-quarters of a cup of brown sugar, one cup of flour, half of a teaspoon of salt, and half of a cup of oats in a small bowl. Stir to mix the dry ingredients together, and then gradually pour the melted butter over the dry ingredients mixture. Stir the mixture with a fork until clumps begin to form.

Once the dough is prepared and the streusel topping is ready, prepare a 9 by 13-inch pan with cooking spray. Then, press all of the prepared dough into the pan.

Use a spatula to spread all of the raspberry jam on top of the dough in an even layer. Then, sprinkle the top with streusel topping and press down slightly.

Once prepared, bake the raspberry bars at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is set. Once finished baking, remove the raspberry bars from the oven and set aside to cool.