These Apricot Walnut Streusel Bars feature a rich, buttery shortbread crust topped with tangy apricot preserves and a crunchy walnut streusel — absolutely delicious.
Hello everyone — I hope you had a nice weekend.
We were expecting a snowstorm but only saw a few flakes. Not much of one, sadly, but I still enjoyed my weekend.
I spent the time recipe testing and photographing in the kitchen while Tom was away on a business trip. I also discovered a new favorite series on Netflix — Turn, a Revolutionary War spy drama — and got hooked.
Since the start of the year I’ve focused on sharing healthier recipes, but today I wanted to treat you to something a bit more indulgent.
These Apricot Walnut Streusel Bars are utterly scrumptious and easy to love. They balance a tender shortbread base with bright apricot preserves and a nutty streusel topping.
A few notes about the recipe
Apricot preserves work wonderfully here, but feel free to use any jam or preserve you prefer. The bars are equally good with raspberry, cherry, or apricot-peach blends.
If you prefer, substitute pecans for the walnuts; both pair nicely with the buttery crust and sweet-tart filling.
Serve these bars as a dessert alongside vanilla ice cream, or enjoy one with your morning coffee — they work as a sweet treat any time of day.
The combination of a buttery shortbread crust, bright preserves, and a crisp walnut streusel delivers a satisfying mix of flavors and textures. Enjoy!
Apricot Walnut Streusel Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Filling
- 3/4 cup apricot preserves
Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small cubes
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Place a rack in the middle of the oven. Spray a 9×9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
Crust
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In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat 3/4 cup room-temperature unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy, about 1–2 minutes, scraping the bowl as needed. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and about 1/2 inch up the sides.
Filling
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Spread 3/4 cup apricot preserves evenly over the crust.
Topping
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In the stand mixer bowl, combine 1/2 cup flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add 6 tablespoons cubed, room-temperature butter and mix until the mixture forms large crumbs. Stir in 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts. You can use your fingers to break the mixture into a crumbly streusel.
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Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the apricot preserves. Bake 55–60 minutes, until the topping is lightly browned and the preserves are bubbling. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool about 5 minutes, then score into 16 bars while still in the pan. Allow to cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before serving.
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Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.