Guava Jam Coconut Macadamia Oat Bars (Printer-friendly)

Buttery bars with guava jam and coconut macadamia oat topping

# What You Need:

→ Crust and Crumble

01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
09 - 1/2 cup roasted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

→ Filling

10 - 1 cup guava jam or guava paste, softened
11 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until mixture forms moist crumbles. Add coconut and chopped macadamia nuts, mixing thoroughly.
03 - Reserve 1 cup of crumble mixture for topping. Press remaining mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan to form an even crust layer.
04 - In a small bowl, stir together guava jam and lime juice until smooth and well combined.
05 - Spread guava filling evenly over the crust layer. Sprinkle reserved crumble mixture evenly across the jam surface.
06 - Bake for 30-35 minutes, until topping is golden brown and jam is bubbling at the edges.
07 - Let cool completely in the pan. Lift out using parchment overhang and cut into 16 equal bars.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • The contrast between the soft, jammy center and the buttery, nutty crumble on top creates a texture that keeps you reaching for another piece.
  • These bars taste like you spent hours in the kitchen when they're honestly straightforward enough for a lazy weekend baking session.
  • The tropical flavor profile feels special without requiring obscure ingredients or complicated techniques.
02 -
  • Don't skip cooling the bars completely; they need time to set or you'll end up with crumbles instead of clean bars, though honestly, nobody complains about eating them warm with ice cream.
  • The lime juice is crucial—it's the difference between a sweet bar that tastes generic and one that makes people pause and wonder what you did differently.
03 -
  • Soften your guava jam slightly before spreading it so you don't tear the delicate crust underneath, and don't hesitate to use an offset spatula or the back of a spoon to spread it evenly.
  • Toast your macadamias in a dry pan for a minute or two before chopping them; this deepens their flavor and makes them taste like they came from someone's tropical kitchen, not a grocery shelf.
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