Description
Delightfully chewy and fruity apricot bars with a buttery crust, packed with chopped dried apricots, crunchy walnuts, and sweetened coconut, finished with a dusting of powdered sugar. Perfect as a snack or dessert for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
Filling
- â…” cup dried apricots
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup brown sugar (packed)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- â…“ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
- ½ cup sweetened flaked coconut
Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking dish: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease the bottom of an 8×8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Soften apricots: Place the dried apricots in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until apricots are softened. Drain them thoroughly, allow to cool, and chop into small pieces.
- Make crust: In a medium bowl, use an electric hand mixer or food processor to combine the softened butter, granulated sugar, and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until the mixture forms coarse crumbs. Press this mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until the edges become lightly golden.
- Prepare filling base: While the crust bakes, beat the eggs, brown sugar, and vanilla extract together using an electric mixer until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining â…“ cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir these dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just incorporated.
- Add apricots and mix-ins: Fold the chopped apricots, chopped walnuts, and sweetened flaked coconut gently into the filling mixture until evenly distributed.
- Assemble and bake: Once the crust is out of the oven, immediately spread the filling evenly over the hot crust. Return the pan to the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the top is puffed, golden, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and finish: Allow the bars to cool completely in the baking dish. Once cooled, cut into 16 bars. Remove each bar from the pan and roll or sprinkle with powdered sugar to coat evenly.
Notes
- Make sure to drain the apricots thoroughly after simmering to prevent excess moisture in the bars.
- You can substitute walnuts with pecans or almonds for a different nutty flavor.
- Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.
- Rolling the bars in powdered sugar can be adjusted to taste based on desired sweetness.
