I have such fond memories of these bars, especially during the summertime, as I think there’s something so wonderfully summery about them – the bright, vibrant color of the raspberry filling paired with a crumbly, buttery base and top is what screams a sunshine to any party. I remember making these for picnics, family gatherings, and even just because I wanted something sweet on a rainy afternoon! The combination of textures and flavors is simply divine, a burst of sweet-tart raspberry jam, cradled in those delicious buttery layers. And, I gotta say, even the biggest gluten eaters will have a tough time putting these down, as it’s something I noticed since a long time ago when everyone always ends up wanting another bite from such colorful summer delight! So, are you ready to bake a batch of these beautiful and satisfying bars? Let's do this!

The Summery Sweet Treat: Gluten-Free Raspberry Bars

Alright, gather up your ingredients, and let’s get baking! This recipe is easy and the process feels quite therapeutic if you take your time in creating the final form!

Ingredients You'll Need:

• For the Crust and Topping:

  • 1 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (make sure it contains xanthan gum)

  • ½ cup granulated sugar (organic granulated sugar)

  • ½ teaspoon salt (sea salt)

  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes (dairy-free butter works great)

• For the Raspberry Filling:

  • 1 (10-12 ounce) jar of good-quality raspberry jam (organic raspberry jam) (or use a homemade jam option if that's what you are in for!)

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice (organic lemon juice)

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or tapioca starch for tapioca starch variation options as GF alternative choice if needed for non-corn)

• For optional elements: powdered sugar and fresh raspberries as topping choice after baking as needed

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Prepare the Crust Mixture: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend, granulated sugar, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingertips, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. A lot of home bakers even enjoy the method of rubbing cold butter bits gently with hand tips to obtain the required crumbling consistency texture and size for the dough base of pastries! Make it into something enjoyable on visual creation, for best results and feeling!

2. Press Half the Mixture: Press half of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of an 8x8 inch baking pan (baking pan) lined with parchment paper. This will form the base crust for your bars. Use fingers and a spoon to smooth it down creating uniform edges. It does take some patience to not go too hard and too soft when you apply those crumbles equally into the bottom base pan layers to prevent over or under-pressing as needed during the application process so every square section gets perfect cover.

3. Prepare Filling Whisk in a small bowl (small bowl) the raspberry jam along with lemon juice and starch until all combine very well. You should have a bright jam mixture for base filling to the next stages that looks consistent with minimal streaky marks. That will give a clean finish to the final product outcome!.

4. Add the Raspberry Filling: Gently spread the raspberry filling over the pressed crust, using the back of the spoon or a spatula to cover all equally all areas so a uniform distribution covers the entire crust base part you added in step 2 and evenly spread the filling right on that layer. It should also spread without overflowing the surface edge that it just reached! It needs to be contained within.

5. Crumble Top: Crumble the remaining crust mixture evenly over the raspberry filling and make sure there aren't large chunks, use your hands to sprinkle evenly for texture quality results, all corners should get an even layer.

6. Bake the Bars: Bake in preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 30-35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly around the edges. Look carefully for any burnt bits in specific locations on top for an evenly golden appearance.

7. Cool Completely: Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before slicing them into squares. It is the most critical waiting step!. Let it settle for a longer period like one or two hours to be ideal. It should help cut more accurately all sections after cooling before removing, for more balanced results if cutting evenly before removing and if done later should provide much less crumby side surfaces!. Once they are totally cooled on these wire cooling racks they will become great and firm.

8. Slice and Enjoy Then serve! ( dusting off some powdered sugar as well as a few raspberries makes those visually gorgeous!). The cut sections that have just been created, look all crisp, even and have a great presentation!. It will also add stability for further handling in display trays that look amazing and inviting at tables and will invite every guest to dive in!.

Tips & Tricks for Bar Perfection

• Cold Butter is Crucial: Make sure the butter is very cold and cut it up before adding it to mix with flour. Otherwise, your dough will feel wet from melting when making it.

• Jam Quality: Using a high-quality, flavorful jam makes a big difference in your final baked outcome. Don’t skip to the generic basic low-price option, treat those recipes to get amazing results!. Use a good one!.

• Lemon Touch: Do not skip to add the lemon, you want that acid for your taste buds! Otherwise, they are not as satisfying for everyone if skipped! Those small details tend to be game changers and key to delicious food preparations!.

• Starch Variety: You may even choose tapioca or other options if corn is a concern when creating any alternatives for thickening or such that do a similar job. Variety creates more choices for any situation as needs may require so if one option is not available.

• Easy Slice: Let the bars cool completely before slicing for nice, clean cuts without those crumbly sides that sometimes are created by rushing. You want to let the final baking and moisture leave slowly by cooling which makes the structure so much firmer for an easy slice and handling final cuts for all the display components before serving and presentation purposes. Also, make sure you line them up properly and a serrated knife helps tremendously!. A nice, firm well well-structured form to serve in beautiful shapes to others will elevate your bake for higher-end results in any table setting too!.

• Presentation Options: A dusting of powdered sugar adds that simple, elegant look that looks professional yet feels completely homemade! Also, a top sprinkle with fresh raspberries enhances that fresh summer flavor visually to highlight the core taste component!. You can cut them into bars, triangles or even using cookie cutters can have you shape it up any way you like in variations for any intended servings!

Recipe Card: Gluten-Free Raspberry Bars

Yields: 9-12 bars
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30-35 minutes
Cool Time: 2-3 Hours (minimum one hour)

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Ingredients:

• For the Crust and Topping:

  • 1 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend

  • ½ cup granulated sugar

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cubed

• For the Raspberry Filling:

  • 1 (10-12 ounce) jar of good-quality raspberry jam

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions:

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt. Cut in butter until crumbly.

2. Press half of the mixture into the baking pan and firm-press

3. Mix raspberry jam with lemon juice and cornstarch and spread evenly over the base.

4. Crumble the remaining crust and mix over the raspberry filling.

5. Bake for 30-35 min at 375 F, let them cool for at least 1-2 hours in a pan before moving to a rack and slicing.

6. Slice into bars and serve!

There you have it, my friend! Perfectly jammy, buttery, and utterly delicious gluten-free raspberry bars that are a delight for both your eyes and your taste buds! These are guaranteed to become a favorite recipe for any occasion and all times of the year when you need a touch of beautiful vibrant texture and flavors! So I am eagerly waiting to know your opinions on these so you also feel amazing by the baking process while at the end result, while they make everyone just happy! Let me know your feedback as you begin testing, by commenting on your process and opinions! Happy baking!