I'm sorry I don't have a picture to share. These go so fast, I never get the chance. I just made a full pan on Friday, October 31, for my hubby's birthday, and there are only two left! Since DH is not a big dessert/snack eater, that means a lot!
Ingredients
- 1 (18 ounce) box yellow cake mix
- 2 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (use only quick-cooking)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (I use 3/4 cup for a sweeter crust and topping)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 large egg, slightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups preserves or 1 can pie filling (Use your favorite. Our favorite is apple pie filling sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. )
- Set oven to 375 degrees (oven rack to second-bottom position).
- Grease a 13 x 9-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl combine cake mix, oatmeal, cinnamon and brown sugar; mix with a spatula or a large wooden spoon.
- In a small cup whisk egg with lemon juice and vanilla until combined; add to the crumb mixture along with the melted butter.
- Using a large wooden spoon toss to combine then use your fingers to finish the mixing.
- Mix until the mixture clumps together.
- Sprinkle a little more than half of the crumb mixture into the pan then spread out evenly pressing firmly to cover bottom.
- Spoon the jam carefully over the crust in the pan and spread evenly.
- Cover with remaining crumb mixture over top of the jam. (I crumble this evenly over the top. When using apple filling, I sprinkle more cinnamon sugar on top)
- Bake for 20 minutes (the top should be very light brown).
- Cool completely, or semi-freeze before cutting into bars (this will make cutting the bars easier)
Another tip: If you don't care for the texture of oatmeal "flakes" in your crumb mixture, you can blend them or through them in the food processor to grind them up a bit.
For more great recipes, click on the picture at the top of this post.
