Whole Grain Jam Squares

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Made with whole grains, oats, nuts, and sweetened with honey, these Whole Grain Jam Squares are a snack you can enjoy without quite as much guilt!  They’re easy to wrap and take along with you to work or school for a grab-and-go breakfast or healthy mid-day snack!

This recipe dates back to 2015 when I was working on some more “healthy” desserts to follow my lineup from a couple of years early – things like my Chocolate Deception Cake, Mega Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes, Honey Olive Quinoa Cake, Lemon Millet Fig Cake with Walnuts and Candied Ginger.  I wanted to make some jam squares for my kids without refined sugar, made with whole grains, and something that could transport easily and serve as a grab-and-go snack or an impromptu on-the-road breakfast.  

These Whole Grain Jam Squares fit the bill. Made with 100% whole grain flour (I like to use either spelt or einkorn), honey, oats, and almonds, these jam squares are a sweet indulgence you can feel good about giving your kids and enjoying yourself without too much guilt!  

The first time I made these my kids, then 3 and 5 years old, were outside “bug hunting” with their new bug collecting gear complete with bug catchers and magnifying glasses.  After all that hard work and excitement, they were eager to come in for a snack.  They were met with the a kitchen filled with the fragrance of almonds, oats, cinnamon and fruit.  These wholesome treats were a hit!

While this recipe can be made using a regular 8×8 inch square baking pan, I like to make these in a Brownie Bar Pan because it not only allows me to make a variety of flavors, it also produces clean-cut, individual squares that are perfect for grab-and-go snacks.

You can use your choice jam for the filling.  This recipe makes 12 jam squares so I like to make a variety of jam flavors to make things more interesting.  You can use store-bought or homemade, regular or sugar-free.

Whole Grain Jam Squares Recipe

Let’s get started!

Cream the butter with a mixer until pale and fluffy.

Add the honey, egg, almond and vanilla extracts and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon.

Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir to combine.

A thick but soft dough will form.

Stir in the almonds and oats.

Divide the dough in half and form 12 (approx 1-inch) balls out of each half of dough (24 total).

NOTE:  If you’re using a 8×8 inch baking pan, simply divide the dough in half, then press half of the dough into the bottom of the greased pan, spread with the jam, and gently press the other half of the dough on top and bake as instructed.
Grease the pan.  Press each dough ball into the bottom of the squares.

Spread some jam onto the dough, leaving some space at the edges so the jam doesn’t all flow out.

Flatten the other half of the dough balls in the palms of your hands to the size of the squares and lay them on top of the jam squares.

Gently press the dough down around the edges.  Be careful not to press to hard or the jam will squirt up.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the edges are just barely beginning to turn golden.  Let the squares sit in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.

Transfer the squares to a baking rack to cool completely.  Store them in an airtight container where they will keep for 3-4 days.

These go great with a glass of milk!

Enjoy!

Originally published on The Daring Gourmet September 7, 2015