Save to Pinterest My neighbor knocked on my door one Saturday morning holding a jar of homemade strawberry jam, asking if I knew what to do with it besides toast. I pulled out flour and butter, and we spent the next hour turning her preserves into these crumbly, jammy squares. The smell of baking shortbread filled my kitchen, and by the time they cooled, we'd already eaten two each standing at the counter. She still brings me jam every summer, and I still make these bars.
I brought a batch to a potluck once, tucked into a floral tin I found at a thrift store. People kept asking for the recipe, convinced I'd spent hours on them. I didn't tell them how easy it was until someone guessed the base was just flour, butter, sugar, and an egg. The jam does all the heavy lifting, and the crumble on top makes everyone think you're fancy.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The foundation of the shortbread, it creates that tender crumb that crumbles just right when you bite in.
- Baking powder: Just a touch lifts the dough slightly so it doesn't turn dense or hard.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and makes the butter taste richer than it actually is.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough without making it cloying, letting the jam be the star.
- Unsalted butter, cold and cubed: Cold butter is the secret to flaky, crumbly texture, so don't skip chilling it.
- Egg: Binds everything together and adds a little richness to the dough.
- Vanilla extract: A small splash makes the whole thing smell like a bakery.
- Strawberry jam: Use the good stuff, seedless if you can find it, because this is where all the fruity sweetness lives.
Instructions
- Preheat and Prep:
- Turn your oven to 350°F and line your pan with parchment, letting the edges hang over like little handles. You'll thank yourself later when you lift the whole slab out in one piece.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients:
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together until there are no lumps. This step takes thirty seconds but makes sure every bite tastes even.
- Cut in the Butter:
- Toss in the cold butter cubes and work them into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it looks like wet sand. The butter should still have little pea-sized bits visible.
- Add Egg and Vanilla:
- Crack in the egg, pour in the vanilla, and stir just until the dough clumps together. Overworking it will make the bars tough, so stop as soon as it holds.
- Press the Base:
- Take about two-thirds of the dough and press it firmly into the bottom of your pan, making an even layer. Use the bottom of a measuring cup if your hands get sticky.
- Spread the Jam:
- Spoon the jam over the base and spread it gently to the edges, leaving just a tiny border. The jam will bubble and spread a bit as it bakes, so don't worry about perfection.
- Add the Crumble:
- Pinch off little clumps of the remaining dough and scatter them over the jam like you're dropping pebbles. You want some jam peeking through, so don't cover it completely.
- Bake:
- Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top turns golden and smells like butter and sugar. The edges will crisp up and the jam will bubble at the sides.
- Cool and Cut:
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan before you lift them out using the parchment. Cut them into squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean edges.
Save to Pinterest One afternoon my sister came over feeling low, and I handed her a square still barely warm with a cup of black tea. She didn't say much, just sat at my table and ate three more. Sometimes a simple jam bar does more than any conversation ever could.
Flavor Variations You Can Try
Swap the strawberry jam for raspberry, apricot, or even fig if you want a deeper, earthier flavor. I've made these with lemon curd in the spring, and they tasted like sunshine. You can also stir a handful of finely chopped almonds or walnuts into the crumble topping for a little crunch that makes every bite more interesting.
How to Store and Serve
These squares keep in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to five days, or you can freeze them between layers of parchment for a month. I like them best at room temperature with coffee in the morning, but my kids eat them straight from the fridge as an after-school snack. If you want to get fancy, warm one up for a few seconds and serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
What to Do If Things Go Wrong
If your dough feels too dry and won't come together, add a teaspoon of cold water at a time until it holds. If it's too sticky, chill it in the fridge for ten minutes before pressing it into the pan. The first time I made these, I used warm butter and ended up with a greasy mess, so now I keep my butter in the freezer until I need it.
- If the jam bubbles over during baking, just let it cool and trim the messy edges before cutting.
- If the top browns too fast, tent the pan loosely with foil for the last ten minutes.
- If the bars crumble when you cut them, they probably weren't cool enough, so next time wait a full hour.
Save to Pinterest These little squares have become my go-to whenever I need to bring something homemade without spending all day in the kitchen. They're proof that simple ingredients and a bit of butter can turn into something people remember long after the crumbs are gone.
Recipe FAQs
- → What type of jam works best?
A smooth, seedless strawberry jam works well for an even layer and a balanced sweetness.
- → Can I use other fruit spreads?
Yes, raspberry or apricot preserves make flavorful alternatives that complement the buttery crumble.
- → How can I achieve a crumbly texture?
Use cold, cubed butter cut into the dry ingredients until coarse crumbs form to ensure a tender, crumbly base and topping.
- → Is it necessary to chill the dough?
Chilling isn't required; pressing the dough directly into the pan before baking yields a tender crust.
- → What baking pan size should I use?
An 8-inch square pan provides the right thickness for even baking and cutting into neat squares.