Fresh apricots are tossed with cinnamon sugar and then layered between a brown sugar and oat crust to make these Apricot Crisp Bars.
Served on their own or topped with Vanilla Ice Cream this is a dessert that everyone loves.
Apricot Crisp
Almost firm enough to cut into bars and still fruity enough to resemble a crisp, this is simply a fruit crisp with both a top and bottom crust layer.
There’s no need to cut in cold butter or stress the streusel topping, just pour melted butter into the oat mixture and it will form the perfect crumb crust and topping. This might be one of the easiest fruit desserts you’ll ever make!
I can not sing the praises of parchment paper enough when it comes to recipes like this one. Let the bars cool completely and then simply lift them out of the pan to easily slice them.
Apricot Bars
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the fruit in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, cornstarch, and almond extract. Stir to combine and then let the fruit rest on the counter while preparing the crust.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir to combine.
- Press half of this mixture into a well-buttered or parchment-lined 9×13 pan. Pour the fruit over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Serve warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings.
These Apricot Bars are dangerously tasty. They aren’t overly sweet and they are filled with juicy pieces of apricot and crunchy bites of streusel crust and topping.
They were so tempting that I actually had a friend come and take the rest of them off my hands because I feared how many I might eat before my husband could take them to the office the next day!
For more great fruit desserts, check out these Pineapple Coconut Bars and this Strawberry Rhubarb Crunch.
These Quinoa Fruit & Nut Bars and these Strawberry Oatmeal Bars are on my list now too. Don’t miss the rest of the Gluten Free Dessert Recipes!
Kitchen Tip: I use this pan to make this recipe. The lid for it is my favorite thing!
Apricot Crisp Bars
Ingredients
- 4 cups chopped apricots
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 1 cup butter melted
*Gluten-Free Alternative
- 1⅓ cups brown rice flour or oat flour
- ⅔ cup tapioca starch
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the fruit in a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, cinnamon, salt, cornstarch, and almond extract. Stir to combine and then let the fruit rest on the counter while preparing the crust.
- In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oats, and brown sugar. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Press half of this mixture into a well-buttered or parchment-lined 9×13 pan. Pour the fruit over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Serve warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
{originally published 6/18/14 – recipe notes and photos updated 6/3/22}
Jan Theilen says
I took these to a social and they disappeared ! NOTE, I didn’t have old fashioned oats, I had quick oats. Exchanging them made a softer desert rather that a bar you could pick up. Just as good but different texture. since my apricots were very ripe and soft, I reduced the sugar and added a tablespoon of lemon juice.
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Jan!
Sandy says
Second time making these and they are sooo good.
I did reduce the sugar to half cup and added a few sprinkles of cardamom – a flavor I love with cinnamon.
Mary Younkin says
Sounds delicious, Sandy.
Kim says
These were soooo good. Trying with peaches. Yum.
Mary Younkin says
Sounds delicious, Kim.
Christine says
Hi. I have a question…I’m slimming through your incredible recipes and I’m noticing that many of them call for almond extract. Normally I would just substitute vanilla extract, but many of your recipes use both already. My biggest sweet-tooth is my oldest son, so I bake usually with him in mind. He has a severe nut allergy. What would you recommend replacing the almond extract with in your recipes?? Thanks!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipes, Christine! You can absolutely skip the almond extract and just swap in vanilla. That said, I have a friend with a high-level allergy to all nuts and she uses imitation almond extract. DO NOT just take my word here though and check with his doctor, ok?
“Artificial almond extract owes its almond-like flavor to a chemical called benzaldehyde, which is made from chemicals in an industrial setting. It’s not made from almonds, peach pits, or apricot pits.” source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/is-almond-extract-safe-for-a-tree-nut-allergy-1324375
Kimmi says
I have pitted and froze our apricots.
I’d like to use some up.
Defrost first, then follow through?
Will adding shaved almond be good?
Mary Younkin says
I would thaw them first and remove any excess liquid before using.
Phyllis Brotten says
I made a few alterations to this already delicious recipe. I cooked 2 c dried apricots in 1 c water, 2/3 c sugar, 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt. While cooling I added 1 tsp orange extract.
To the crust I added 1 tsp coarse kosher salt, 1 tsp almond extract, 1 tsp butter extract.
This combination enhanced this dish to over the top.
Phyllis Brotten says
*in addition to my other modifications, I used unsalted butter. Hence the need for additional kosher salt to the original recipe. I prefer unsalted butter to baking recipes since It seemingly has less water and more butter concentration. Delicious recipe!
Mary Younkin says
I’m glad you managed to adjust the recipe to match your tastes, Phyllis. Enjoy the apricot bars, and happy baking in the future!
Sarah says
So so delicious! I tried this recipe because we had a large batch of flavorless apricots and had read that cooking/baking them would bring out some flavor and this recipe makes them taste amazing! Great textures of the crisp and the fruit filling too.
Mary Younkin says
I’m so glad the apricot bars were a hit, Sarah! Baking apricots really does bring out much more flavor in the fruit. Happy baking!
Barbara Evans says
Love this recipe which could be used with so many fresh fruits. Next time I’ll use a tad less sugar and cinnamon. But it’s easy, uses ingredients we have on hand. My apricots were given to me fresh but not ripe. They were on a food truck for our community, which is a food desert and few folks knew about the fresh apricots. I wanted to prove apricots can be delicious and you helped me do just that!!Five stars for you!
Mary Younkin says
Glad to hear that you loved the apricot bars, Barbara. They’re a classic dessert for a reason. Enjoy the recipe, and happy baking!
Rosanne says
Hi
Mine aren’t out of oven yet, but how do I store what I don’t eat? If saving some for tomorrow, July 4th, best way to store ?
Thanks
Rosanne
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Rosanne. You can refrigerate the bars for at least a few days; if you’re eating them tomorrow, you could just cover them and keep them on the counter. Enjoy!
Alex Rankin says
Hi! I’m planning to make this recipe to ship to my mom! Do you think these would ship okay? Should I freeze the baked bars first?
Mary Younkin says
Hi, Alex! I think these bars should ship well; make sure they’re cool, and that your packaging isn’t likely to crush them if it’s jostled. I hope your mom loves the bars!
Sherry says
I questioned using a whole cup of melted butter in this recipe. I think you meant to say one cube instead of one cup. I did use the amount asked for in the recipe & instead of bars, the consistency is more of a very buttery ice cream topping.
Disappointed
Mary Younkin says
This is a fairly standard formula for crisp topping, Sherry. Did you bake it as directed? or change any other ingredients? The flour, oats, brown sugar, and butter should have combined into a crumbly streusel mixture.
Diana Capoot says
Do you peel the apricots?
Mary Younkin says
I never peel apricots, Diana. Happy baking!
Julie says
Easy to assemble and thank you for the portion options, regarding ingredient amounts! Totally delicious and a big hit. SO tasty!
Mary Younkin says
You are welcome, Julie! I’m glad the apricot bars were a hit. Happy baking!