Best Apricot Crumble Squares
These apricot crumble squares are a great twist on the classic fruit crumble tarts. A simple and easy recipe to make whether you use fresh, canned, or frozen apricots. Also, it is a perfect make-ahead bite-size dessert you can bring with you to BBQs and parties. This is definitely a crowd-pleaser and a great tea-time snack.
Whether you call these bars, crumble slices or squares, they are really simple and easy to make. In fact, often, I get my Rhea to prepare the crumble topping with her hands. And she finds it so fascinating to just squish the flour, butter, and sugar.
Why you’ll love these bars?
- Fresh, Seasonal Flavor: Homemade apricot crumble bars take advantage of fresh, in-season apricots, providing a burst of juicy, natural sweetness that’s far superior to store-bought versions.
- Customization: Making them at home allows you to customize the recipe to your taste preferences, such as adjusting the sweetness, adding your favorite spices, or incorporating nuts for extra crunch.
- Healthier Option: Homemade bars can be made healthier by using whole grain flour, reducing sugar, and adding nutritious ingredients like oats and chia seeds, making them a guilt-free treat.
- Versatility: These bars are incredibly versatile, perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert. They can be served warm with ice cream, cold with yogurt, or simply enjoyed on their own.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Apricots – The star of the show. And yet, the apricot season, unfortunately, is really short. Today, I am using fresh apricots, but canned or frozen work just as well.
And, if you are using frozen apricots, you can keep the amount of sugar the same. However, if you use sweet canned apricots, then I suggest reducing the sugar by half. In fact, the best practice is to taste and see how sweet they are. And, if you are not sure, then half the amount of sugar would work great as a guide. - White granulated sugar – I like my crumble topping to be a lighter color. So, I prefer to use white sugar. And yet, you can easily substitute with light or brown sugar, using the same quantity. Also, take note that brown sugar contains molasses so that it will influence the taste and flavor.
- Unsalted Butter – I always use unsalted because I like to control how much salt I use. And, if you use salted butter, that’s fine, just omit salt in the recipe.
- Spice mix – There is so much flavor you can add to this, and yet, simple vanilla on its own works great. It’s a bit non-traditional, but a pinch of garam masala in winter works wonderfully, too.
Step-by-step: Easy apricot crumble bars
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F, 190 °C / Gas Mark 5. Line an 8 x 8 square cake pan with parchment paper.
- Dough mix – Add flour, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, spice mix, and cold cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse a few times until crumbly, but not too much. Pour the crumble into two bowls – one for the base and one for the top. Keep the bowl for the crumble topping in the fridge to stay cold.
- Base – Add the 2 tbsp of milk to the crumble for the base and combine well. Then, pour the mixture into the baking pan. Use the back of a spoon to press it down firmly. Bake the base for 10 minutes until lightly golden but not cooked through. Cool for 5 minutes.
- Filling: In a large bowl, toss the apricot slices with the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch until well coated. Set aside.
- Assemble: Pour the filling over the partially baked base and spread evenly. Generously sprinkle the crumble topping mixture all over the apricot filling.
- Bake the Bars: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let the lemon bars cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack.
- Serve and Enjoy: Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into squares. Serve and enjoy these delicious lemon bars as a refreshing treat!
Apricot Crumble Squares
These apricot crumble squares are a great twist on the classic fruit crumble tart. They are simple to make, whether you use fresh, canned, or frozen apricots. This recipe is also perfect for making a bite-sized dessert to bring to BBQs and parties. It is definitely a crowd-pleaser and a great tea-time snack.
Video
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb (450 g) Apricots chopped in cubes (about 6 apricots)
- ¾ cup (150 g) White granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Cornflour/ cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Base and Top
- 2 cups (250 g) All-purpose flour
- 6 oz (170 g) Butter cold, unsalted
- ½ cup (100 g) Sugar white
- ¼ tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Milk whole
- ½ tsp Spice powder (cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or gingerbread spices)
Method
- Prep: Preheat oven to 375°F/ 190 °C / Gas Mark 5. Line an 8 x 8 square cake pan with parchment paper.2 cups All-purpose flour, 6 oz Butter, ½ cup Sugar, 2 tbsp Milk , ¼ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Spice powder
- Dough mix – Add flour, sugar, salt, spice mix, and cold cubed butter to a food processor. Pulse a few times until crumbly, but not too much. Pour the crumble into two bowls – one for the base and one for the top. Keep the bowl for the crumble topping in the fridge to stay cold.
- Base – Add the 2 tbsp of milk to the crumble for the base and combine well. Then, pour the mixture into the baking pan. Use the back of a spoon to press it down firmly. Bake the base for 10 minutes, until lightly golden but not cooked through. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- Filling: In a large bowl, toss the apricot slices with the sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch until well coated. Set aside.1 lb Apricots, ¾ cup White granulated sugar, 2 tbsp Cornflour/ cornstarch , 1 tbsp Lemon juice , ¼ tsp Salt, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Assemble: Pour the apricot filling over the partially baked base and spread evenly. Generously sprinkle the crumble topping mixture all over the filling.
- Bake the Bars: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges are lightly golden. Remove from the oven and let the lemon bars cool completely in the baking dish on a wire rack.
- Serve and Enjoy: Use a sharp knife to cut the bars into squares. Serve and enjoy these delicious lemon bars as a refreshing treat!
Notes
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- Make sure the butter is chilled so it crumbles like breadcrumbs; otherwise, it will cream like cookie dough.
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- We want the crumble mixture to have a combination of big and small pieces. This will give us the best texture and stability for our bars.
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- Make sure the base is pressed firmly; otherwise, the bars will be a mess.
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- Do not skip prebaking the base; this will ensure it is cooked and make a firmer, not soggier, base.
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- Add the filling to the baked base just before baking. Otherwise, the filling will soak into the base and make it soggy.
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- You can also add fresh fruit along with the filling to make a fruitier treat. But do not add too much filling or fruit, as it will make the bars weaker and soggy.
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- Bake until the crumble has a light golden color but not too dark. Otherwise, the crumble will become hard when cooled.
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- Let the crumble cool in the pan for a few minutes or until warm before you cut into it. Cooling will make the cutting better and result in fewer crumbs.
- Spice mix – There is so much flavor you can add to this, and yet, simple vanilla works great on its own. In winter, I often use pumpkin spice or gingerbread spice in my apricot squares. Cinnamon is another spice that does great here, too!
- Fruit
- Fresh Apricots – If using fresh apricots, wash the apricots, score a cross on the skin, and blanch them in hot water for three minutes. Then, drop them in cold water so the skin peels off easily.
Remove skin, chop, and use as needed. - Canned Apricots – Drain apricots well. Chop and use as suggested in the recipe.
- Frozen apricots – Thaw apricots, drain any excess liquid, and then use as suggested in the recipe.
- Fresh Apricots – If using fresh apricots, wash the apricots, score a cross on the skin, and blanch them in hot water for three minutes. Then, drop them in cold water so the skin peels off easily.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!Tips for success
- We want the crumble mixture to have a combination of big and small pieces. This will give us the best texture and stability for our bars.
- Make sure the base is pressed firmly; otherwise, the bars will be a mess.
- Do not skip prebaking the base; this will ensure it is cooked and make a firmer, not soggier, base.
- Add the filling to the baked base just before baking. Otherwise, the filling will soak into the base and make it soggy.
- You can also add fresh fruit along with the filling to make a fruitier treat. But do not add too much filling or fruit, as it will make the bars weaker and soggy.
- Bake until the crumble has a light golden color but not too dark. Otherwise, the crumble will become hard when cooled.
Troubleshooting apricot bars
| Problem | Possible Cause | Quick Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Bottom crust turns soggy | Fresh apricots released juice during baking | Sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons almond meal, semolina, or breadcrumbs over the base before adding fruit — it absorbs excess juice. You can also toss the apricot pieces with 1–2 teaspoons cornstarch. |
| Filling too wet / bars collapse when cut | Apricots overripe or too juicy; not enough thickener | Use firm-ripe apricots and toss them with a little sugar and cornstarch before layering. Cool bars fully before slicing so the juices set. |
| Crust separates from filling | Filling too wet or crusts baked unevenly | Let the bars cool completely before cutting. Slightly press the top crust into the fruit before baking so both layers bind together. |
| Crust too hard or dry | Too much flour or overbaked | Add an extra tablespoon of butter next time, or cover loosely with foil in the last 10 minutes to prevent overbrowning. |
| Bars fall apart | Crust ratio off or bottom layer not pressed firmly | Make sure to add that 2 tbsp water to the bottom dough half — it needs that extra moisture to hold. Press it firmly into the pan, especially the corners. |
| Top crust pale | Oven temperature too low or not enough butter in dough | Brush the top lightly with milk or egg wash before baking to help it brown. |
| Fruit tastes bland | Apricots underripe or mixture lacks acidity | Add a small squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt to the fruit before layering — it brightens the flavor instantly. |
| Bars too sweet | Sugar ratio high for ripe fruit | Taste apricots first; reduce sugar slightly or mix in a few chopped dried apricots for texture instead of extra sweetness. |
more crumble bars
Frequently asked questions
Can I add oats to this apricot crumble recipe?
You can substitute one cup of flour with one cup of oats. And keep everything else the same, and follow the same process.
Can I use dried apricots in these bars?
You can use dried apricots, but you will need to soak the apricots for a few hours (overnight is best) so the apricots hydrate before you continue with the recipe. Also, taste the apricots and adjust the sweetness accordingly.
Can I use jam to make these bars?
Jam is quite sweet. So, the bars will be very sweet unless you have a jam with less sugar, like my homemade apricot jam. Having said that, you can omit the sugar in the crumble, which will reduce the sugar considerably. Also, add a few tablespoons of water to the jam and heat it for a minute so it’s a spreadable consistency. Then, top with crumble and bake.
What else can I do with apricots?
There is so much you can do with apricots, from desserts to savory dishes. For example, you can:
– Make an apricot tart or apricot clafoutis
– Add some apricot puree to vanilla ice cream or
– Add chopped apricots to your salad or grains, such as apricot quinoa salad with a honey sauce and fresh herbs.
– And you can add apricot to your meat, such as apricot chicken, or serve it with grills, such as chicken breasts or pork chops.
Of course, we regularly make apricot jams, apricot preserves, or ginger apricot chutney.
Top your Greek yogurt with chopped apricots, walnuts, or pistachios, and honey or maple syrup.
Wrap apricot halves in puff pastry to make quick apricot turnovers.
What other fruit can I use instead of apricots?
Absolutely, you can use blueberries, plums, peaches, nectarines, and even strawberries. You can also try my blueberry cream cheese crumb bars, Cherry pie crumble bars, raspberry peach crumble, and Apple Pie Crumble bars.
more apricot recipes
- Apricot Peach Jam – No-Pectin (just 3 ingredients)
- Creme Caramel Apricot Flan, Apricot Creme Brûlée Recipe
- Apricot Tart or Apricot Cake
- Creme Caramel Apricot Flan
- Apricot Jam – No Pectin
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Loved this recipe. I added some ground flax and chopped almonds to the filling because I mixed it too early and this helped it stay thicker.
Thank you for the lovely feedback, Connie.
I was a bit disappointed in the crumble in this recipe. I made it exactly as described, with very cold butter, with bigger and smaller bits of butter, but it still all kind of melted into a flat topping with very little crumble consistency. I subbed 1 cup gluten-free quick oats and used 1 cup gluten-free flour for the rest, so maybe the GF flour changed the properties of the crumble? In any case, the bars are VERY tasty!! I really hated peeling the apricots though – next time I might skip this step, but I wonder what would happen.
Rosalie, sorry you were disappointed with this recipe.
I have not tested it with gluten-free flour so I cannot give you feedback on that. However, I do know that gluten-free does not work the same as all-purpose flour.
Ideally, you need the crumble to be chilled when it goes in the oven but in this case, perhaps you needed more GFflour for the same amount of butter.
I’m happy they were still tasty. Thanks for the feedback.
Delicious!! And fun to make. I would like more precision on how to split the 2 crumble parts. The bottom was too thick after I guessed at what to do. Do you usually go half and half or some other ratio?
Beebee, You make half and take a little extra for the bottom. In fact, you can even do half! I just think a little extra adds a bit more stability to the squares.
Just made this recipe with fresh apricots, I didn’t have any lemon juice so added an extra tablespoon of cornflour as the filling looked a little runny.
Delicious! thank you
Thank you, Bernardene. Happy to hear you liked it. Sounds like you had very juicy apricots. It is good you added cornstarch as it helps thicken the juices
I think the flour/butter ratio was a bit off, as the crumb topping ended up being quite light in color and didn’t get that light golden brown I was looking for, nor the toasty flavor that normally comes from brown sugar in the crumb topping. As a result the top seemed quite light and floury even after being in the oven for 35 minutes (the edges of the base burnt). Also I think I would’ve enjoyed a different base. Having the crumb mixture at the base in addition to the topping made it quite buttery and heavy to eat. In addition the apricots I got were quite sour. I was expecting 1/2-3/4 cup sugar to sweeten it up but it did not. This recipe was not for me. Don’t understand why there are so many 5 star ratings from people who have not actually baked this recipe yet, and are just commenting on how good it LOOKS. I generally don’t leave negative feedback, but given that this is one of the first recipes that shows up when you search for apricot baked deserts, I really want to leave my input here for any other innocent bakers stumbling upon this recipe for what to expect or maybe learn from my experience.
Hey Lisa. sorry, this recipe was not for you. This is actually quite the standard crumble recipe made into bars.
A crumble is usually a buttery mixture.
And, you are right this is a very popular recipe and many have tried it successfully.
The fact that it is nice and buttery and uses one mixture for both and bottom is what makes this more desirable and popular with people.
Apricots have a natural tart/sweet taste which balances nicely with the crumble mixture. Unfortunately, you had very sour apricots so that threw off the whole equation of balance.
Thank you for your feedback. I’m sure it will help the rest know what to look for.
The recipe says to add the vanilla to the filling, but there is no vanilla in the filling section.
Hey Debbie, Yes, there is a vanilla extract in the filling as well. Thanks for bringing it to my attention
These were absolutely delicious! My best fruit dessert to date. I have never left a comment for a recipe before but had to give you props. I’m going to try it with blackberries next time. Definitely a keeper!
Thank you so much, Marla. I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much. Thanks for the feedback
My online calculator says 240 grams equals 1.01 cups flour. Your recipe says 1.92 cups. I was trying to figure out the .92 part when I discovered this. Help!
Hey, Barb. No, 1 cup flour is 128 grams. I just took care of the .92 so now it’s 2 cups. I hope that helps. Thanks
Hi Veena,
This looks like a delicious recipe and I would love to try it but I am unable to find the spice mix note/ recipe.
Thanks
Hey Sarah. Yes, you can use any spice like pumpkin spice, gingerbread spice, nutmeg. I have added the spice mix notes under notes.
This turned out great. I made one change though.. I was not able to make the dough crumbly at first, mixed it too well. That worked fine for the bottom. Then just before adding the top layer I added another about half a cup of flour and kneaded that in lightly — that made the top nice and crumbly.
Ah, and I also added pieces of dark chocolate on top of half of it. That half was better 🙂
Thanks Veena! I’m sure I’ll be making this one again.
Thank you, Andrew. So happy you enjoyed this. I have never tasted chocolate with apricots – I’m intrigued to try the combination. Thanks for coming back to write this feedback.
do you peel the apricots?
Yes, you need to peel them Rose. Thanks.
Delicious apricot crumble bars Veena, I need to try it, Now I am into bar loves. I have fresh apricot here in the store.
You will love this crumble. Swathi. You must try it. We have apricots in season here too.