Apricot Crumble Bars

Ingredients

All-purpose flour

2 cups

Granulated sugar

3/4 cup, divided

Salt

1/4 teaspoon

Unsalted butter

1/2 cup (1 stick), cold and cubed

Apricot preserves

1 cup

Lemon juice

1 tablespoon

Vanilla extract

1 teaspoon

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9x9-inch baking dish with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.
2. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumb mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish to form the crust.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the apricot preserves, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until well combined. Spread the apricot mixture evenly over the crust.
5. Sprinkle the reserved crumb mixture over the apricot layer, pressing it lightly into the preserves to create a cohesive topping.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
7. Allow the bars to cool completely in the baking dish before lifting them out using the parchment overhang and cutting into squares.
8. Serve and enjoy your delicious apricot crumble bars!