Sweet, chewy, buttery, and just a little bit nostalgic, these apricot bars are everything I want in a dessert and nothing I don’t. No fresh apricots? No problem. This old-school recipe uses dried apricots, a golden shortbread crust, and a crunchy coconut-pecan topping that might just steal the show.
There are a lot of desserts I’ve loved and left. This isn’t one of them.
These apricot bars have been a favorite since I was a kid hauling bags of dried fruit back from my granddad’s place in California. His backyard was lined with apricot trees that actually tasted like something, not like the sad, mealy ones you find at the grocery store in the South.
We’d eat as many fresh ones as we could, then can and dry the rest to take home. The East Coast never stood a chance against those West Coast apricots, but dried apricots? That’s the closest I’ve found to those childhood summers.
So here we are. Apricot shortbread bars that hit all the nostalgic notes. Buttery and crumbly on the bottom, a jammy apricot center with real texture (not goo), and a crunchy golden topping laced with toasted coconut and pecans. These bars are soft where you want softness, sturdy enough to travel, and honestly? Way more exciting than your average cookie tray.
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Featured reader review
“THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING!!!
Dani
Honestly I have never EVER made sweets, so it’s my first time and very successful! I had some dried apricots and wasn’t sure what to do with them. Looked online and found this recipe. Decided to make and if it wasn’t successful I would throw it away (since no experience in making sweets). But instead, came up great. It’s very easy to make and time consuming in moment of instead going to the store and buy cravings to make it at home. The only thing I have changed was the pecans since I did not have some and switched with walnuts, it’s great too.
Barbara, I thank you for this recipe! ❤️”
What Makes These Bars So Scrumptious
- No fresh apricots? No problem. This recipe uses dried, so it works year-round.
- That shortbread crust, it’s buttery, golden, and barely holds back the toasted coconut and pecan goodness.
They travel well. I froze a batch and shipped them to Natalie, and they arrived looking like I just pulled them out of the oven.
Only a Few Essentials (The Rest Are Probably in Your Pantry)
- Dried apricots — not the super tart ones, just your standard soft orange variety.
- Sweetened coconut — it adds just the right chew and toasts up beautifully.
- Pecans — they’re optional, but I wouldn’t skip them.
Everything else? Butter, sugar, flour, the usual suspects. Full list and instructions are down in the recipe card.
Don’t Burn the Coconut (Ask Me How I Know)
If you’ve ever burned coconut, you know it happens fast. My tip? Oven at 350º, spread it out, and don’t walk away. Stir once or twice until it’s golden and fragrant. You could do it on the stovetop too, but the oven is my go-to.
Here’s How It All Comes Together
Step 1: Start with the apricots
Step 2: Soften and sweeten
Pro tip: By using chopped dried apricots that have been softened, you get more texture to the bar than if you just use jam.
Step 3: Make the crust
Place three quarters of it in the bottom of the pan and bake it for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Assemble and finish baking
Add the apricot mixture to the partially baked crust and top with the remaining shortbread and finish baking.
Want Neat Slices? Don’t Skip This Part
Let them cool. Really cool. Room temp first, then chill them if you can. Lift them out using parchment overhang, and use a long sharp knife (cleaning between cuts if you’re fancy like that). You’ll get clean edges and no messy corners.
Stash ‘Em, Ship ‘Em, Share ‘Em
Store these in the fridge for up to 5 days or freeze for later. If you’re mailing them, freeze first, wrap tight, and send them on their way.
I packed these up for a tailgate once and they disappeared faster than the homemade sausage balls. Sure, brown butter chocolate chip cookies or some classic fudgy brownies are always welcome, but sometimes it’s nice to show up with something a little unexpected. These bars fit the bill.
If you’ve been hunting for dried apricot recipes that don’t taste like they belong in a retirement home, give this one a try. It’s got texture, flavor, and that old-school Junior League charm (this one came straight from Nana’s copy from the ‘80s in Owensboro Ky).
Want more easy desserts with staying power? Head over to my bar recipes collection and get inspired.
If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.
Apricot Bars with a Shortbread Crust
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried apricots (11/2 cups) chopped
- 1 ¾ cups sugar divided
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 2 cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened coconut toasted
- ½ cup pecans chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, cover chopped apricots with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft. Drain, reserving ¼ cup water. Place ¼ cup water back in the saucepan and add ¾ cup sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar has dissolved.
- Add the cooked apricots back to the saucepan and turn off the heat.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine butter and 1 cup sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes. In a separate bowl, whisk together four, soda and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix until combined. Add toasted coconut and pecans.
- Place ¾ of the mixture into prepared pan, pressing it with the bottom of a measuring cup. Bake for 10 minutes until it is golden brown. Remove from oven and spread apricot mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crust over the top and bake an additional 25-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Video
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Start with softened butter. If you press your finger on it it will indent but not go all the way through.
- Line the pan with parchment paper to make it easy to remove when cooled.
- Refrigerate after cooled to make cutting into bars even easier.
Nutrition
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Laura K Shinefield says
This recipe is amazing! I made them this weekend with dried apricots as you suggested and everyone loved them. The toasted coconut makes the crust taste delicious. A fantastic buttery fall dessert! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
Barbara Curry says
I’m so glad you liked them. I thought the crust was the best part!
GrandmaLeslie says
OMG!!! I searched for just this recipe, bars based on apricots and coconut. I just made these and I am sitting here seriously eating one warm. Couldn’t even wait. Anyway I did drizzle thinly with a lemon royal icing and all I can say is this recipe is going into to Superbowl menu that I am planning now. That and thank you Barbara!!
Barbara Curry says
Oh my, lemon glaze sounds fabulous.
cheryl says
Wow! I usually go toward chocolate but with not a morsel in the house, I remembered these. The crust is a little piece of heaven! I seriously don’t know how else to say it.. I’m a fan of shortbread but the addition of coconut and pecans put this right over the top! I also didn’t have any dried apricots but used some jam that I thinned out a bit. I cut them into small bite size pieces and have to stop myself from popping one into my mouth when I walk by. Easy, delicious, and beyond heavenly! Thank you Barbara!
Barbara Curry says
Great way to improvise with jam! I’m such a fan of anything with coconut. Glad these were a success.
Katie says
The best apricot bar recipe I have ever made! Served with fresh whipped cream. They are amazing!
Barbara Curry says
Whipped cream with them is a great idea!
Dani says
THIS RECIPE IS AMAZING!!!
Honestly I have never EVER made sweets, so it’s my first time and very successful! I had some dried apricots and wasn’t sure what to do with them. Looked online and found this recipe. Decided to make and if it wasn’t successful I would throw it away (since no experience in making sweets). But instead, came up great. It’s very easy to make and time consuming in moment of instead going to the store and buy cravings to make it at home. The only thing I have changed was the pecans since I did not have some and switched with walnuts, it’s great too.
Barbara, I thank you for this recipe! ❤️
Barbara Curry says
Dani, I’m so glad you tried these, they are one of my favorites. I hope you’ll try some more recipes from the blog, homemade desserts are the BEST!
Louise says
Very delicious, and exactly what I had expected. We used to live in a town known far and wide for the bakeries, and I grew up with a large variety of delicious desserts. The town we currently call home does not have those same types of bakeries. But when I find a recipe like this, I don’t miss the bakeries at all. Thank you.
Barbara Curry says
Louise,
Thank you so much for taking the time to add a comment. With everything going on right now, it was great to open my e-mail and see that you have enjoyed one of my recipes.
Amber says
Barbara!
I’m happy to report that I have some ripe & fresh apricots on hand and would love to make these bars. Have any advice on how many?
Barbara Curry says
So first, I’m jealous! I have not made these with fresh apricots. Since you are reconstituting the dried apricots in this recipe and there are about 24 dried apricots, I would try using the same amount of fresh. The apricot mixture should be cooked until it’s thickened, like a jam consistency. Let me know how it turns out, I think they will taste great, I’m just not sure if the fresh apricots will make it too juicy. If so, you can enjoy with a fork!
Bobby Duehring says
These are delicious!!! I made them per the instructions, and they turned out perfectly. I tried the tip with the parchment paper in the hopes of cutting the bars consistently. I’m still hopeless where that’s concerned. 🙂
Barbara Curry says
Mine are never exact either but one tip if you want them even is to remove from the pan and cut the whole pan in half in both directions. Then cut the additional rows depending on the size. You could also use a ruler but I’m never that particular.
Rebecca says
Have you ever tried alternative flours, i.e. coconut, almond, macadamia nut flours? Getting back into my more keto friendly recipes, so I’m curious if you’ve already had success with using/mixing any of the above. Will most certainly try this recipe, as-is – regardless!
Barbara Curry says
I have not tried any other flours, but even eliminating the flour, I’m not sure you could make this keto. You could always cut them smaller and still have a treat without as many carbs. If you are going Keto, Sausage Balls with Almond Flour are a blog favorite along with Queso Chicken.
Anit Singh says
Hi, can i omit the coconut from the recipe (allergy to coconut ) and replace the pecans with walnuts. If you have any suggestions to replace the coconut
thank you
Barbara Curry says
I wouldn’t worry about replacing the coconut, these are fabulous without it. Walnuts would give it a great flavor, I’m sure you’ll love it.
Theo says
If I don’t want to include nuts, do you think I should introduce something else such as perhaps marshmallows or chocolate, or leave it alone. Please reply thanks!
Barbara Curry says
I wouldn’t try marshmallows or chocolate, that would really change the flavor. They will be great without the nuts.