This recipe for Grandma’s Easy Jam Squares comes from a very special lady, my Grandma Katie. Whether you decide to try blackberry as shown, or apricot, raspberry, strawberry, or even orange marmalade, I think you will love this simple recipe.
Whenever grandma mailed me a card or letter, there was always a recipe or two enclosed with it. She was known for clipping articles and recipes out of newspapers and magazines and sharing them.
This particular recipe is actually handwritten by her, so I am not sure where she got it from. Grandma’s Easy Jam Squares is one of my husband’s all-time favorite cookie recipes, and as grandma wrote on the bottom of the paper… They. Are. Good.
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Not only are these fruit cookies delicious, but they are also very simple to prepare. It is a great recipe for those times when you want an easy dessert, and it is also perfect for kids just learning to bake.
This post has been updated. Originally these cookies were called Grandma’s Easy Apricot Squares. Her recipe called for Apricot Preserves and let me tell you, they are outstanding! However, you don’t need to limit yourself. Try any flavor of preserves. My personal favorites are blackberry and orange marmalade! Actually, every jam I have tried has been delicious!
Ingredients needed
- Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Old Fashioned Oats
- Baking Powder
- Vanilla
- Butter or Margarine
- 18-ounce Preserves (your favorite flavor!)
How to prepare these cookies
- Beat the butter until creamy.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except for the jam. Mix well.
- Press half the dough into the bottom of a baking dish.
- Spread jam over the pressed dough.
- Sprinkle the remaining dough over the top.
- Bake. Cool slightly and enjoy!
These jam cookie squares are lightly crisp from the margarine and the oatmeal. Sweet from the fruit jam and brown sugar. And oh, so yummy!
Tips on making these jam cookies
Softened the butter or margarine first, you will find it mixes up a lot better.
The last time I made these cookies I used plant-based butter, Almond Butter, and it worked perfectly!
Beat the butter or margarine first until it is creamy. Add all of the remaining ingredients and beat until crumbly.
Put just over half of the mix into a 13″ x 9″ dish that has been coated with non-stick spray, reserving the rest for topping. Pat down the mixture in the baking dish to form the bottom crust.
Adding the preserves to a bowl and stirring well helps make them easier to spread over the bottom crust. After you have spread out the preserves, sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the top. Press down lightly.
Bake the fruit bar cookies until golden brown. Put the dish on a rack and let cool.
Cut into squares. They are easier to cut if you wait for them to completely cool, although I understand if you are not able to wait that long.
Recipe
Grandma’s Easy Jam Squares Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter or Margarine
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 cup Brown Sugar firmly packed
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 1/4 cups Rolled Oats I always use old fashioned
- 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
- 18 ounce Jam or Preserves. Your favorite flavor.
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Beat the softened butter or margarine until creamy. Put all the remaining ingredients, except for preserves, into the mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, mix the ingredients until crumbly.
- Put over half of the mixture in a 13″ x 9″ pan that has been coated with non-stick spray. Pat down.
- Put preserves in a bowl and stir. Pour preserves over cookie base. Spread to coat the bottom base. Add remaining oatmeal/flour mixture over top and lightly pat-down.
- Bake for 35 – 40 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool on a rack and cut into squares. Makes about 2 dozen squares.
Notes
Nutrition
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My Mom makes a similar bar “cookie” with strawberry preserves – my favorite cookie since I was a little kid!! I can’t wait to try them with apricot. Yum!
We love these cookies. Raspberry preserves are also excellent! I hope you enjoy the apricot. 🙂
I love a good bar recipe! They’re great because you can sub out some of the white flour for whole wheat the the kids not even notice! Come link these up at #WelcomeHomeWednesdays!
Thank you! I will go on over and check it out! 🙂