Name: Vegan Raspberry Streusel Bars
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Ingredients: 2½ cups (12½ ounces/354 grams) all-purpose flour; ⅔ cup (4⅔ ounces/132 grams) organic granulated sugar; ½ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut oil; 3 tablespoons water; ½ cup (1½ ounces/43 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats; ½ cup pecans , toasted and chopped fine; ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces/50 grams) organic light brown sugar; ¾ cup raspberry jam; 3¾ ounces (106 grams/¾ cup) fresh raspberries; 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Why This Recipe Works

Traditionally, shortbread is all about the butter; for a vegan base that was just as rich and tender while also firm and sturdy, we found coconut oil to be a terrific alternative. This rich dough did double duty as both the crust and the base of our streusel topping. After pressing part of the flour mixture into the pan, we added oats, brown sugar, and pecans to the remaining mixture and pinched it into clumps to create our topping. These additions made a topping that was light and dry enough to adhere to the filling. For a filling that stayed neatly sandwiched between the base and topping, we combined fresh raspberries with raspberry jam. A squeeze of lemon juice brightened the mix. Prebaking the bottom crust before adding the filling and streusel prevented soggy shortbread.

Before You Begin

Frozen raspberries can be substituted for fresh, but be sure to defrost them before using. Do not use quick or instant oats in this recipe.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Make foil sling for 13 by 9-inch baking pan by folding 2 long sheets of aluminum foil; first sheet should be 13 inches wide and second sheet should be 9 inches wide. Lay sheets of foil in pan perpendicular to each other, with extra foil hanging over edges of pan. Push foil into corners and up sides of pan, smoothing foil flush to pan. Grease foil.

Process flour, granulated sugar, and salt in food processor until combined. Pinch off 1-inch pieces of oil into flour mixture, sprinkle water over top, then pulse until mixture resembles damp sand, about 20 pulses; set aside 1¼ cups of flour mixture for topping. Sprinkle remaining flour mixture into prepared pan and press into even layer using bottom of dry measuring cup. Bake until edges of crust begin to brown, 14 to 18 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking.

Meanwhile, stir oats, pecans, and brown sugar into reserved flour mixture and pinch into clumps of streusel. Mash jam, raspberries, and lemon juice with fork in small bowl until few berry pieces remain.

Spread berry mixture evenly over hot crust, then sprinkle evenly with streusel. Bake until filling is bubbling and topping is golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let bars cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 2 hours. Using foil overhang, lift bars from pan. Cut into squares and serve.