Run – don’t walk – immediately to the store to grab up all the fresh apricots before they’re out of season because these bars are a must-make this summer!

three almond crumble bars stacked on each other with white subway tile in background

They’re sweet, they’re crumbly, they’re warm and nutty… they have texture galore and are the just-right balance between a bar, a crumble, and the summertime dessert you’ve got to serve warm with ice cream.

They’re going to make those fresh fruit dessert dreams come true, I promise.

server under an apricot almond crumble bar with bars in the background

Where are we at with fresh apricots? I totally get they might not be a common occurrence in your kitchen. And no knock on the midwest, but they were not a thing I’d had (maybe ever?!) until my adult life. They just don’t feel that prevalent in the Midwest. That’s all changing though.

Busting out of the mold and changing things up, we’re making apricot bars until apricot season ends. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Apricot Crumble Bars

After several tests (and I mean like 5 or 6…really, this is a tough job but someone has to do it) it came down to two things:

overhead view of apricot bar with almond crumble next to two other bars and a knife

1) The bars had to have the same crust and crumble mixture – it was much easier this way. No one wants to use three different bowls and make essentially three different parts for a bar recipe, especially in the summer. So here we are, with the easiest version possible.

2) I wanted these to be egg-free, and as much as possible, dairy-free. They do have butter (duh), but as someone who doesn’t often have milk on hand, I didn’t want you to have to run out for extra ingredients, either.

With all that testing out of the way (again, you’re welcome ;)), we have sweet, crumbly bars bursting with fresh apricot and rich almond flavor.

The Crust and Crumble

You will start by mixing the crust, which also happens to be the crumble topping.

side by side photos of dry ingredients: oats, flour, cinnamon, brown sugar, and a photo of melted butter poured into bowl

Oats, flour, brown sugar, and a few other dry ingredients (ahem, including lots of cinnamon) mix together before getting a generous pour of melted butter, almond extract, and vanilla extract.

up close look of crust and crumble with wooden spoon

You bet we have almond infused throughout the bars. Almond. Apricot. Heaven.

The key here is to not make the mixture uniform, you want it to remain in a crumble-like state for the topping.

Divide about 2/3 of the mixture into the baking dish and then press down to form the crust. You’ll bake it for about 10 minutes so it has a chance to set up.

side by side photos of 8x8 pan with loose crust and the crust pressed into pan

Mix sliced almonds in with the remaining topping and place it in the fridge so those crumbles stay in tact. No melting here!

glass bowl of crumble topping with sliced almonds and wooden spoon

While that’s happening…

Apricot Filling

apricot cut open on wooden cutting board

Prepare the apricot filling by mixing together the diced apricots with more almond extract (yes!) and more cinnamon (yes!) — do you see the warm flavor trend here? THESE BARS ARE LIKE A HUG.

side by side photos of glass bowl with diced apricots and filling ingredients

The filling goes in the par-baked crust, then on goes the crumble topping.

side by side photos of baking dish with apricots on top of crust, pouring crumble on top, next to a photo of crumble spread on top of bars

Bake until the edges are bubbly and the crumble is golden brown and you’ve reached apricot oatmeal bar perfection.

How to Serve Crumble Bars

overhead of three bars lined up on the sides

They’re baked. Your house is smelling like all sorts of lovely goodness: cinnamon-y, almond-y, sweet and de-li-cious!

But you’ve gotta wait.

I mean, technically you can scoop up the “bars” immediately and serve in a bowl crisp type situation with a large scoop of ice cream on top, too. That’s completely acceptable.

But if you want to eat them in bar form, you must have patience. They need to set up (remember all of our fresh juice apricots that are hiding inside?) before they’re cut into bars.

side view of sliced apricot almond crumble bars next to each other with white subway tile in background

I recommend letting them cool on the counter for 30 minutes to an hour, and then pop them in a fridge for a bit. This will help when you go to cut them, ensuring they are set up and stay together.

Not into cold desserts? Serve at room temperature no problem!

Or hey, stick to the warm dessert ice cream situation and live your best life.

Can I use other fruits?

Yes! I’ve tested this recipe with other stone fruits specifically (think: nectarines, peaches…), which I highly recommend. Even a peach-apricot mixture is 😍.

Throw in some raspberries for a pop of red and a berrylicious flavor …I mean, the world is your oyster, my friend.

apricot almond crumble bar on stacked white plates next to knife, and surrounded by two other bars

Love Apricot? Check out these recipes!

5 (3 ratings)

Get the Recipe Apricot Almond Crumble Bars

Apricot Almond Crumble Bars are bursting with fresh, sweet, slightly tart apricots and warm, nutty almond flavors topped with a crumble they're irresistibly delicious!

Ingredients

Crust/Crumble:

Filling:

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by lining it with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix in the melted butter and extracts until combined and a pebble-like mixture forms. Press approximately 2/3 of the mixture into the baking dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly golden brown. 
  • Add almond slices to the remaining mixture, being careful to keep it in “crumble” form. Place in the fridge. 
  • Make the filling by combining the apricots, sugar, cinnamon, corn starch, and almond extract until apricots are thoroughly coated. Spread in an even layer on top of the par-baked crust. Top with the almond crumble topping and bake for 38-42 minutes until edges are bubbly and top is slightly golden brown.
  • Let cool completely (see note) before cutting into bars and serving. 

Notes

I like to let the bars set up completely in the fridge so they are easier to cut into bar form. You can serve immediately if you want more of a crisp-like dessert. 
Calories: 283kcal, Carbohydrates: 38g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 20mg, Sodium: 205mg, Potassium: 168mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 518IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 1mg
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