A raspberry oat bar with a light buttery crust, a zesty fruit filling, and a drizzle of milk chocolate. These bars make a perfect spring time snack!
I want to say that spring has officially sprung — I really do. But instead I’m going to have to say that spring is officially bipolar. It’ll be warm and sunny one day, only to start snowing the next… or it’ll be snowing in the morning, only to be warm and sunny in the afternoon. I keep telling myself that it won’t be too much longer until winter is gone for good, and I’m really hoping that’s the case because I’m more than ready to stop hibernating and get back outside. Bike rides, trail runs, long walks in the river valley — can.not.wait.
This means I’ll need snacks. I don’t know about you guys, but being out in the fresh air revs my appetite like nothing else, and my favourite snacks to pack for those kind of excursions have always been homemade bars…
Bars are perfection. Not only are they easy to make and pack, but they’re also the perfect way to sneak a little extra chocolate into your diet. In fact, they pretty much beg for it….
What you’re left with is a chocolate covered raspberry oat bar that’s perfect for spring. The dough is light and crumbly with a subtle buttery taste, and the addition of lemon zest to the raspberry jam adds a lovely hint of freshness in addition to fruitiness.
I decided to go with store-bought jam as opposed to making my own fruit topping because:
a) berries aren’t really in season yet,
b) jam doesn’t have as high of a water content as berries do, so you don’t have to worry about the bars getting soggy after a day or two, and
c) it was more convenient…
… and you guys know I love to take whatever shortcuts I can without sacrificing flavour when it comes to my baking. Either way, these raspberry oat bars make a perfect spring time snack… or a lovely distraction for when you’re waiting for that snow to stop falling 😉
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Chocolate Covered Raspberry Oat Bars
- Total Time: 50
- Yield: 12 1x
Description
A raspberry oat bar with a light buttery crust, a zesty fruit filling, and a drizzle of milk chocolate. These bars make a perfect spring time snack!
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*
- 1 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 tsp. baking soda
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1 tsp. lemon zest
- 1/2 bar (50g) chocolate of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F. Line an 8×8 baking pan with a sheet of aluminum foil, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Spray foil with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add honey and coconut oil, mixing well to ensure that the oil is evenly distributed.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the oat mixture. Transfer the remainder of the mix into your prepared baking pan, using your fingers or a spatula to ensure that it is pressed down tightly and evenly distributed.
- Spoon jam into a small bowl and mix in the lemon zest. If jam is too thick or cold to spread easily, pop it into the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up.
- Use a spatula or knife to spread the jam over top of the pressed oat mixture, making sure to only go within 1/4 of the edge to prevent the jam from burning. Sprinkle the reserved oat mixture over the layer of jam, pressing down lightly to ensure that it stays in place.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top turns a light golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool in pan before cutting into bars.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave in intervals of 20 seconds, stirring regularly to ensure it doesn’t burn. Once fully melted, use a spoon to drizzle chocolate over the bars and transfer them to the fridge for ~15 minutes to allow the chocolate to set.
Notes
- * can sub with all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 40
Dude, these look out of a whole foods display!!! Beautiful recipe and photography Amanda~! I’ve tried that brand once before and loved it. I just don’t end up buying it since it can add up, but great choice of chocolate.
At first glance these bars looked like there would be a long complicated ingredient list that called for brown rice this and buckwheat that..! But can I just say how pleased I am that it is so straightforward. Now when I’m ready to make my first batch of bars ever(!) I have an easy recipe to fall on 🙂 .
Mixed berry jam for me. And yess, I am totally that person who choose “more indulgent” sounding ice cream/drinks/desserts over anything fruity. With the exception of apple crumble! Oh and these bars fall under that kinda category – fruit crumble = desserty enough 😀 .
Never made bars before? Ohhh girl you’re going to love them! They’re probably my favourite thing to bake 😀
These look incredible, Amanda! They’re going on my “to bake” list, for sure. I made something similar to these a couple years ago around Christmas time. I love what lemon zest adds to the flavor of the raspberry/oats! Gorgeous pictures, too! 🙂
Omg amazing. Your photography is out of this world girl!
Oh my gosh, these look insaaaaaaaaaaaane. I’m not usually much of a raspberry person, but the raspberry + lemon combo definitely intrigues me. Plus chocolate, of course. Everything is better with chocolate 🙂
Hi, wow these look amazing! is it possible to sub in regular olive oil instead of coconut oil, or will that change the taste? I don’t have coconut oil on hand!
Thanks 🙂
Olive oil has too strong of a taste so it would change the taste of the bars too much. You could use a more neutral oil like canola, or melted butter!
Great idea using jam instead of real berries. I don’t love jam mostly because of the crazy additives and extra sugar, but good news I found a handful that are really good and don’t have all the extras. Beautiful pics! I need some pointers from you.
Have you ever tried Crofter’s jam? They’re my favourite, and they have a lot of jams that are sweetened with fruit juice instead of sugar.
These look amazing, definitely pinning this to make soon!!!
Your pictures look awesome ! And these bars look pretty awesome ! I am not really a fan of fruity dessert either but when chocolate is involved anything is game !! 🙂
If I had my hands on these oat bars right now, I would probably be stuffing my face with them! lol. They look so delicious!
Those look delicious, I don’t think I’d be able to just eat one in a sitting haha
This is some of the most-beautiful food photography I’ve ever seen. Makes me want to grab and eat the bars right off the screen. You’ve got talent!
these look DELICIOUS!! did you get some new photo props to play with 🙂
A few! But I actually didn’t use any of them for this shoot 😆
Hello, deliciousness 🙂
The chocolate raspberry combination is one of my favorites, so this looks like perfection in a bar to me!
these sound delicious! i have homemade salted dark chocolate “KIND” bars on my snack menu for the week. may just have to sneak a batch of these in as well. i mean, since i have the ingredients already 😉
You know what I love about your recipes? The fact that despite them looking delicious, they don’t require any fancy ass ingredients! I’m already bookmarking this for future trial- how do you think regular wholewheat flour would hold up? I’ve actually not tried too many of the Green & Blacks flavours because I am a Lindt loyalist but I think it’s about time I get exploring! I’m definitely more of a dark chocolate kinda girl…even better when sea salt is included!
I think whole wheat flour would be fine… It might make them a little denser, but nothing too terrible. And I wish I could try more Lindt bars! They all have a peanut warning around here 😥
These do look really good. Honestly I’ve found that chocolate and raspberry is one of my favorite flavors. I will have to make these when fueledbyfuel gets back. Thanks for sharing!
YUM! And beautiful photos!
I don’t discriminate when it comes to chocolate. I pretty much love it all! I’d say my favorite jam/jelly is probably strawberry with blackberry coming in at a close second!
These are so simple!!! I love it. I’m definitely a dark chocolate person all.the.way. I can’t really eat milk chocolate anymore because I miss the bitterness of the dark chocolate. Maybe I’m just spoiled 😀
My favvvvvorite jam is definitely fig jam! Anything fig wins my heart which is why I love fig bars so much! And, like you, I have a love for jelly beans. ALL.THE.BEANS (jelly variety, preferably).
OMG these sound DIVINE! These are going on my never ending list of recipes to make asap.
You are the queen of snacks and bars! I suck at making them, so I won’t even say that I’m going to attempt these. I’m sure mine would just fall apart. HOWEVER, yours are beautiful, and I’m sure they are absolutely delicious!
Did you know I have a very real fear of jam? Yup, it’s true. I can’t touch the stuff and don’t you dare put it even close to my PB (or AB in your case ;). When people use the same knife in both I legit feel sick. I know, I’m crazy.
Most random fear award goes to you 😛 <3
Girl…you make some SERIOUSLY delicious looking food 🙂 Thanks for sharing!!
How good is the Green & Black’s Maya Gold! Trade that jam for orange marmalade and you got yourself a choco-orange oat bar 😉 mmm…
Omg the flavour combination possibilities are endless. I’m dying to do something with butterscotch or burnt toffee…
I prefer dark chocolate, and it really depends on the day whether I prefer add in’s or not haha. And seriously, I’ve decided that you should open your own bakery. You come up with the best recipes!! This one of course, just looks to die for!
Raspberry and chocolate is an awesome combo..reminds me of a raspberry mocha from Starbucks. I’m also obsessed with these photos and can’t decide which one to pin!! Ahhhh the hardships.
These look delicious!! Chocolate in snack bars? Always 🙂
woaaaahhhh yum. 🙂
Hey girl, long time no see. I’m slowly making my way back to the blogosphere and missed visiting some of my favorite blogs. 🙂
These look incredible! They look like something you’d buy at Whole Foods. Nicely done!
Eeeee! Hey girllll! 😀 I was wondering where you disappeared to — I had to learn about your going-ons through Kate 😛 Good to see you again!
I ADORE the Green and Black 85% bars! These bars look dee-vine, along with all your other recipes!
I made your double chocolate protein bars yesterday and used Vega Chocolate and holy moly! SO GOOD
Do you ship?? I’d trade some of these for some of the sunshine and even heatwave we’re supposed to experience over here soon. We might need to talk about the chocolate, though. Sea salt isn’t really my favourite add-in. Unless it’s combined with caramel like in one of Lindt’s bars. Speaking of which: Lindt Chili or their 99% bar are my favourites. Or mint dark chocolate. Honestly, I’m not one to say no to any kind of chocolate but these are the ones I eat by the bar.
Hands down my favourite flavour of jam right now is strawberry. Or at least that’s what I guess the jar I finished within one week might tell. I’m not as much of a fan of raspberry jam because of the seeds.
Strawberry is my #2 right after blueberry 😀 And mint chocolate may just be one of my favourite ever. We’re not going to talk about how quickly I demolished my last bar 😯
I prefer all chocolate 😉 seriously, I’m not picky and always need at least 2-3 kinds on hand to make sure I can satisfy any kind of chocolate craving. I’m actually not a big candy person – I usually pass it up if chocolate isn’t involved. If I had to pick a favourite though? Probably Fuzzy Peaches. And jam…blueberry. Followed by strawberry.
Of course, the bars look fabulous!
I think it would be a problem for me to put the chocolate in the microwave before eating it while standing. My chocolate craving seriously gets out of had at the moment.
As for favorite chocolate, you tried it – RAGUSA. Mix of dark and milk with nuts. And soooo creamy/crunchy/moist (sorry) 🙂
Yes for homemade bars!! Love them and I love these pics!!
So, I’ve found myself with a bit of free time and no idea what to do with it…enter Amanda’s mouthwatering recipes! This is going to be #1 this afternoon most likely followed by protein granola bars and/or flourless muffins. 🙂 These look amazing!
Well, it’s a pretty perfect day to do some baking… stupid clouds 😡
Spring really is bipolar, it needs to just warm up already. These bars look so good! These would be a great afternoon snack. My coworkers are becoming dependent upon me bringing treats into the office!
I never really loved jelly or jam but I must say, perfect choice for baking these bars. I used to swear by milk chocolate until the last few years when my palate switched to dark and now I can’t look back. In fact, if I taste milk chocolate now it seems weird in flavor to me.
I am all for sneaking chocolate into my diet – milk, semi sweet, dark, with nuts, fruits, or straight up I don’t discriminate – I just love ALL the chocolates 🙂 Though I cannot say the same for gummies or any other non chocolate candies…
I love woodapple jam – it’s hard to find here in Atlanta but its so good – kinda like apple butter but not quite. These bars look so fabulous! Love the combo of oats/chocolate and jam!
All I have to say is WOW!!…. your photography seriously looks amazing and the bars too! Pinning!!
I am not normally a huge fruit pudding lover either but anything with green and blacks will have my attention. I love that stuff! My favourite is the dark chocolate ginger flavour – heaven! Your photography is so so good Amanda! I need to learn how to take amazing photos! You make it look like I can actually eat the photo haha!
Awwr thanks girl! Just takes some practice… and a lot of snack food on hand 😆
I could definitely eat an entire pan of these right now. Raspberry or strawberry name – always!!! I saw lime jelly at the store last week and kinda want to try it.
Camino dark chocolate is my fav – I love anything with salt in it, too.