This strawberry-raspberry oatmeal bar recipe is yet another perfect recipe for a summer picnic. It essentially consists of a layer of fruit sandwiched between two layers of oatmeal cookie batter. The buttery crust is softer and more cookie-like than the traditional crumbly topping. Does life get any sweeter?
A Short History of Oatmeal Cookies
American oatmeal cookies are likely a descendant of Scottish oatcakes. Oatcakes were first documented in Scotland as early as the Roman conquest, in 43 AD. Oats are one of the few grains that grow as far north as Scotland and until the 20th century were the staple grain. Hence oatcakes evolved instead of bread in other cultures and were generally served as a carbohydrate accompanying a savory dish.
In the 17th century, oats traveled with Scottish immigrants to North American. In America, until the mid-19th century, oats were at first primarily used to feed horses. This was because, in their wholegrain form, they required extremely lengthy cooking time to make them delicious for humans. In the later half of the 19th century, technological innovation allowed the development of rolled oats, which could be cooked much more quickly. The military quickly adopted oats as a cheap, filling, and now quick to prepare, staple food during the Civil War. Following the civil war, experimentation with oats continued with the invention of granola. The first published oatmeal cookie recipe is credited to Fannie Farmer and was printed in the Boston Cooking-School Book’s 1896 edition. The cookies later entered the mainstream when Quaker Oats wisely printed its version of the recipe on the back of its box in 1906.
Beyond the Strawberry-Raspberry Oatmeal Bar Recipe: More Oats!
Love oat-based baking? So do we! Here are a few more favorites:
Dessert Bars Galore
Searching for the best option for your next picnic? Pick a dessert bar from some of our favorites:
Useful Tools for Making this Strawberry-Raspberry Oatmeal Bar Recipe
Strawberry-Raspberry Oatmeal Bar Recipe
Equipment
- 8 x 8 inch square baking pan
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups quick oats
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup coarsely chopped strawberries
- 1 cup fresh raspberries rinsed and dried
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp corn starch
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8 x 8 inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking soda, and 1 tsp salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Set aside.
- In a third bowl, combine strawberries, raspberries, sugar, lemon juice and corn starch. Stir to combine.
- Pat 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the strawberry-raspberry filling evenly over the top of the bottom layer. Dot the remaining oat mixture over the top of the strawberry-raspberry mixture.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes in preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the fruit is juicy and bubbly. Let cool on a wire rack, then cut raspberry oat bars into 9 pieces.
Notes
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