Don’t they look just absolutely yummy? The basic ingredients are steel cut oats, strawberries, blackberries and macadamia nuts. Baking with fruit is so rewarding. Make sure you don’t overcook or overbake the fruit and don’t add more sugar than necessary. In other words when you be skimpy with the sugar you taste more of the fruit, and that’s what you want.
When I am looking for something to bake, I always try to make a recipe that can be consumed in a week. I am cooking for the two of us, and for you, couple of two. That means baking dishes of 8×8 or 6×6 or making something that can be frozen easily.
Key Ingredients in This Recipe
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities in the recipe below.
- For the Strawberry Filling
- Strawberries
- Sugar
- Lemon
- Blackberries
- For the Top and Bottom Part
- All-purpose flour
- Steel-cut oats
- Macadamia nuts
- Butter
- Sugar
- Light brown sugar
How to Make Strawberry Oat Macadamia Bars
Step 1 – First you make a simple strawberry jam. Simply put, cook strawberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan until it starts to thicken. I am not sure if you can officially call this jam, but it is a mixture of fruit and sugar that you cook until it is a little thicker. No added pectin. Consequently, the strawberry section may easily ooze out of the bars when you bite in them.
Step 2 – Pulse the macadamia nuts in a food processor until coarse.
Step 3 – Mix the nuts with the flour, steel-cut oats, sugar, brown sugar, salt and the melted butter and mix. You’ll end up with a very crumbly dough.
Step 4 – Press half of the crumbly dough into a 8×8 baking dish, lined with parchment paper. Use a spoon or a cup.
These bars have a dense base, because I used steel cut oats and not the rolled oats. The steel cut oats compact tighter.
Step 5 – Pour simple strawberry jam on top of the base and divide evenly. Place blackberry halves on to top.
Step 6 – Divide the rest of the crumbly dough over the strawberries until everything is covered. Don’t push down.
Place the baking dish in a 350 degrees oven and bake for 50-55 minutes.
Allow to cool completely before you cut it into bars.
Enjoy!
Strawberry Oat Macadamia Bars
Pin Recipe FacebookIngredients
Simple Strawberry Jam
- 1 pound strawberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 lemon
- 2 ounces blackberries
Dough
- 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
- 3/4 cups butter, melted
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
Make the Simple Strawberry Jam
- Wash and chop the strawberries. Transfer strawberries, juice from the lemon and sugar to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Simmer for 30-45 minutes and stir frequently. Push strawberries against side of the pan and 'mash' a little. Cook until mixture thickens a little. Take off the heat and allows to cool
Make the Dough
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line a 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Pulse macadamia nuts in food processor until coarse. Mix the nuts with the flour, steel-cut oats, sugar, brown sugar, salt and the melted butter and mix. You’ll end up with a very crumbly dough.
- Press half of dough in baking dish and press down.
- Pour simple strawberry jam on top of the base and divide evenly. Place blackberry halves on to top.
- Divide the rest of the crumbly dough over the strawberries until everything is covered. Don’t push down.
- Place pan in oven and bake about 50-55 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.