Old-Fashioned Dried Apricot Bars with a Shortbread Crust
Simmered dried apricots, a buttery shortbread crust, and a crunchy topping of toasted coconut and pecans come together in these old-fashioned dried apricot bars. The filling has real pieces of fruit instead of jam, and there are no eggs and no fresh apricots needed. One shortbread dough makes both the crust and the topping.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dried apricots ((11/2 cups) chopped)
- 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (divided)
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 cups all-purpose 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 Notes + Tips
- Drain the simmered apricots over a measuring cup so you save the ¼ cup of cooking water the sugar gets cooked in.
- Toast the sweetened coconut at 350º and stay close, because it goes from golden to burnt fast.
- Cool the pan completely before cutting, then chill it if you have time for the cleanest slices.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. To freeze or mail them, freeze first, then wrap tightly.
Nutrition
Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 95mg | Potassium: 170mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
