Fruit Bars
Submitted by suz1998
Oat fruit bars layered with dried apricots, dates, and prunes in a buttery brown sugar and corn syrup base. Chewy, naturally sweet, and no mixer required.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
1 hrsThese old-school oat bars pack a trio of dried fruits between two layers of buttery, golden oat mixture. Apricots, dates, and prunes bring natural sweetness and a chewy center that contrasts with the slightly crunchy top and bottom.
The base is dead simple: butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup melted together, then stirred into rolled oats. No mixer, no eggs, no fuss. Pressing the bottom layer firmly with the back of a spoon is the step that holds everything together. Skip it and you’ll end up with a crumbly mess instead of clean-cut bars.
Score the bars while still warm but let them cool completely in the pan before cutting. Warm bars fall apart. Patient bars hold their shape.
Kitchen Tips
- Press the bottom oat layer firmly and evenly. Gaps mean weak spots where bars crack apart.
- Chop the dried fruit into small, uniform pieces so every bite gets a mix of all three fruits.
- Mark cutting lines at the 5-minute mark while the surface is still slightly soft. Waiting too long means the top hardens and cracks instead of scoring cleanly.
- Store in an airtight container with parchment between layers. They keep well for a full week.
Variations
- Swap prunes for dried cranberries or cherries for a tart twist.
- Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or ginger to the oat mixture for warm spice flavor.
- Drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled bars for a more indulgent finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃) (205 degrees C).
Grease a shallow 11 inch by 7 inch baking pan with butter.
Put butter, sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan; stir continuously over medium heat until melted.
Remove from heat.
Stir rolled oats into melted mixture.
Spread half of mixture in bottom of pan to form a thin layer.
Press with the back of a spoon to compact the mixture and smooth the top.
In a medium-size bowl, mix apricots, dates and prunes together.
Sprinkle evenly over top of packed mixture.
Spread remaining mixture on top of fruit; press with spoon again.
Bake about 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool 5 minutes.
Using a knife, mark surface of mixture with lines to use as a guide for cutting.
Leave in pan to cool completely.
Cut in squares, then lift out with a small spatula.
Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to 1 week.
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