Gluten-Free Oatmeal Apricot Bars (Printable)
Chewy oatmeal bars with sweet apricot filling and hearty gluten-free oats
# Ingredient List:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
02 - 1 cup almond flour
03 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
06 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (or dairy-free alternative)
08 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
09 - 1 large egg, room temperature
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Filling
11 - 1 1/2 cups dried apricots, chopped
12 - 1/3 cup orange juice
13 - 2 tablespoons honey
14 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
# How to Make:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine chopped dried apricots, orange juice, honey, and lemon zest. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apricots are soft and the mixture is jammy. Let cool slightly.
03 - In a large bowl, mix together gluten-free oats, almond flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
04 - In another bowl, whisk melted butter, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
05 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined and crumbly.
06 - Press about two-thirds of the oat mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
07 - Spread the apricot filling over the base.
08 - Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the apricot layer. Gently press down.
09 - Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
10 - Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and slicing into bars.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- These bars strike that perfect balance between wholesome and indulgent, making them impossible to stop eating
- The texture is incredible—soft and jammy in the middle with a crumbly, golden top that shatters beautifully when you bite into it
02 -
- I once cut these while they were still warm and they fell apart completely—let them cool completely or even chill them briefly for clean slices
- The apricot filling should be thick enough to hold its shape when spread—if its too loose, simmer it a few minutes longer
03 -
- If your almond flour has clumps, break them up with a fork before mixing or youll get pockets of dry flour in your finished bars
- Press the base layer firmly and evenly—thin spots will bake faster and make the bars harder to slice neatly