Golden, buttery jam crumb bars are an irresistible hybrid of cookie and bar — tender, crumbly dough layered with your favorite jam and finished with a smooth vanilla glaze. These easy bars use melted butter for a soft, workable dough that forms both the crisp crust and the crunchy crumble topping. The recipe yields 16 bars and can be made with any jam or preserves you love.
These jam crumb bars are a favorite because they’re straightforward and require no mixer or food processor. The same simple dough is used for the base and the topping, so prep is quick. Melted butter makes mixing effortless and gives the bars a rich, tender texture that holds up well to the jam filling.
Featured Review
I made these yesterday and they are absolutely fantastic! The dough was so easy to work with! I doubled the batch and made them in a 9×13 pan and used homemade raspberry jam. I’ll definitely be making these again!
Erin
This recipe is very versatile — try mixed berry jam, cherry preserves, blueberry, strawberry, or any jam you prefer. Each variety yields delicious results, and the bars travel well for picnics, potlucks, or coffee breaks.
More easy dessert bars: old fashioned cherry pie bars, buttery raspberry crumble bars, jammy blackberry pie bars, and sweet strawberry crumb bars.
How to Make Jam Crumb Bars
Start by whisking the dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl combine melted butter with granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and almond extract, whisking until smooth. Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture with a spatula until just combined.
Reserve 3/4 cup of the dough (about 220 g) for the crumble topping and mix in the sliced almonds until crumbly. Chill the topping while you prebake the crust. Press the remaining dough evenly into a parchment-lined 8-inch square pan for the base.
Bake the crust for 14–16 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool for about 15 minutes.
Warm the jam briefly — 10 seconds in the microwave is usually enough to loosen it — then whisk and spread it evenly over the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the jam to create a rustic topping.
Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 30–35 minutes, or until the topping turns golden and the filling is just bubbly. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before glazing.
To finish, whisk a simple vanilla glaze: melted butter, a pinch of salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and enough milk to reach a drizzleable consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars and let it set before slicing.
Best cookie recipes with jam:
- Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Raspberry Pecan Linzer Cookies
- Jam Butter Cookies
- Almond Jamaretti Cookies
Easy Jam Crumb Bars
5 from 8 reviews
- Author: Laura Kasavan
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Buttery jam crumb bars are an easy, crowd-pleasing dessert: a tender cookie-like crust, a jammy middle, and a crunchy crumb finish, all topped with a sweet vanilla glaze. Makes 16 bars.
Ingredients
Crust & Crumbs
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (168 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (2 g) pure almond extract
- 3 Tbsp (22 g) sliced almonds
Filling
- 3/4 cup (240 g) berry jam (or your favorite jam)
Glaze
- 1 Tbsp (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 tsp (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
- Make crust and crumble: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl whisk melted butter with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and almond extract. Add the dry ingredients and fold until combined.
- Reserve 3/4 cup (220 g) of the dough for the topping and mix in the sliced almonds until crumbly. Chill the topping while you finish the base. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Bake the crust: Bake 14–16 minutes until lightly golden and set. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes.
- Warm the jam briefly to loosen it, then spread it evenly over the cooled crust. Scatter the reserved crumb mixture over the jam.
- Bake the bars: Bake 30–35 minutes more, until the topping is golden and the filling is slightly bubbly. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Make the glaze: Whisk melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars, let the glaze set, then lift the parchment and slice into squares with a sharp knife.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Equipment
Mixing Bowls
Square Baking Pan (8-inch)
Notes
Larger batch: Double the ingredients and bake in a 9 x 13-inch pan for more servings.
Freezing: Cool bars completely, freeze unglazed bars flat on a baking sheet for 1 hour, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze up to 8 weeks. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and glaze before serving.
Gluten-free option: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for all-purpose flour.