Apricot Bars - a The Old Road Farm Holiday Favorite
December 13, 2022 • 0 comments
Our family recipe book credits my grandmother with this recipe. It was a holiday staple growing up, and one I never saw on anyone's cookie trays but ours. The recipe makes a 9x13 pan of sweet, gooey, apricot-y bars with a tender shortbread crust. My mom always tripled the recipe and made a triple batch at least once--if not two or three times--over the holidays! Store them in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers. They freeze well (and can be eaten straight from the freezer).
- Prep Time:
- Cook Time:
Ingredients
- (8 oz) dried apricots
- (1/2 cup (170g)) butter
- (3/8 cup (85g)) white sugar
- (1.5 cups (195g)) flour (all purpose or gluten free 1:1) [for crust]
- (3/4 teaspoon) baking powder
- (1/2 teaspoon) salt
- (1.5 cups (300g)) brown sugar
- (3) Fresh Eggs (Soy Free, Organic Fed)
- (2.5 tsp) vanilla extract
- (3/4 cup) pecans, chopped
Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9x13 pan.
Rinse apricots. Cover with water and boil 10 minutes to soften.
Drain, cool and chop.
Meanwhile, mix butter, sugar and 1 1/2 cups (195g) of flour for the crust.
Pat into greased 9x13 pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
Whisk 1/2 cup (65g) flour with salt and baking powder.
Separately, beat eggs with brown sugar until light and frothy.
Into the egg mixture stir the flour mixture, vanilla, apricots and optional nuts.
Pour into baked crust.
Bake again for 30 minutes.
Cool before cutting into bars.