Raspberry Breakfast Bars

It was 89° yesterday in Chicago. It was 44° this morning at 7am. That sad fact, coupled with a return to school following a leisurely long weekend, told me that I needed to show my kids some extra love this morning. They were ecstatic I chose to show it in the form of Raspberry Breakfast Bars.

These lack nutritional value entirely, and are perhaps better suited to a tea time or midday snack. All the same, I often make them in the morning for afternoon consumption only to have half the pan devoured right out of the oven.

You can make these pretty quickly. Having streusel on hand in your freezer definitely helps.


Raspberry Breakfast Bars
Print recipe only here

For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350°

Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with canola spray

Melt:
• ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter

In a small mixing bowl combine:
• 2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• Pinch salt

Add butter to dry ingredients and stir with a fork to combine.

Press the mixture into the baking pan evenly. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.

Remove from oven and spread a layer of raspberry jam on the crust (I probably use about ¼ cup or a bit more).

Top with about ½ cup streusel and return to the oven for about 15 minutes or until the jam bubbles up and the streusel is golden brown.

Streusel:
Combine in a mixer with the paddle attachment:
• 1 ¼ cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oats
• 1 T cinnamon
• ½ t salt
• ½ t nutmeg

Add and mix gently for 2-3 minutes until just combined:
• ¼ cup (½ stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed

To use, press a handful in your palm and squeeze together to form clumps. Scatter clumps over surface of muffins, pies, tarts and the like.

Streusel keeps well in the fridge and in the freezer indefinitely. Be sure that it’s well covered to protect it from absorbing odors.