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These Raspberry Bars are as easy as can be to make! This recipe uses cake mix, oats, and brown sugar to create a delicious crumble topping over the top of a raspberry jam filling. 

Three raspberry bars stacked on a white plate, with more sliced bars in the background

I feel like we’re pretty much stuck in an endless winter situation here in Ohio.

Yes, I know it’s only February. And yes, I also know that us midwesterners should be used to these dramatic weather changes, but it’s still annoying and I’m still going to whine about it.

Guys, it was 65 degrees 2 days ago and now we are expecting yet another winter storm.

One thing I do love about snow days is that Elle and I can get into the kitchen and whip up simple desserts that she can make almost entirely be herself.

Easy recipes like peanut butter pretzel bars, rice krispie treats and these raspberry bars are amongst some of our snow day favorites.

Ingredients for raspberry bars arranged on a countertop

EASY RASPBERRY CRUMBLE BAR INGREDIENTS

It’s no secret how much I love a baking mix shortcut. Whether it’s using cookie mix in pumpkin cheesecake bars or homemade Bisquick mix in Make-Ahead Banana Coffee Cake, I don’t mind taking a little baking shortcut every now and then.

And as much as I love making recipes like Berry Crumble Bars, Apple Pie Bars, and Cranberry Crumb Bars from scratch, I knew there had to be a quick-and-easy way to make crumble bars. 

Wooden spoon stirring the crumble base for raspberry bars in a white mixing bowl

Enter: Raspberry Bars.

These simple bars use just a handful of pantry staples to make a crumble bar that comes together in minutes:

  • Yellow cake mix
  • Quick oats
  • Light brown sugar
  • Unsalted butter
  • Pecans
  • Raspberry jam
Bottom crust for raspberry bars pressed into the bottom of a metal baking pan

See? I bet you have several of those ingredients on hand already, if not all of them! 

Give yourself about 30 minutes and you’ll have a pan of delicious Raspberry Bars to share with friends and neighbors or take to that last-minute potluck you forgot about.

Raspberry jam filling spread over the bottom crust for raspberry bars

HOW TO MAKE RASPBERRY BARS

To make these raspberry crumble bars, grab a large bowl and mix together the yellow cake mix, oats, brown sugar, and melted butter. Mix everything together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs and you don’t have any dry mix left.

Add just over half of the crumb mixture into a greased 13×9-inch pan and press it evenly to cover the bottom of the pan. 

Baked raspberry bars cooling on a wire rack

If you’re adding pecans to your crumble topping, stir the pecans into the remaining oat mixture now.

In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry jam and water to make your raspberry filling. Spread this over the crust, then sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the top of the jam layer.

Bake the bars for 18-23 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.

Overhead view of raspberry bars sliced into 12 bars, garnished with fresh raspberries

CRUMBLE BAR ADAPTATIONS

The fun part about this recipe is that you can change it up in a few different ways!

  • Don’t love raspberries? Try a different flavor of jam! Swap out the raspberry preserves for blackberry jam or even strawberry or blueberry preserves.
  • Try a different cake mix flavor. If you don’t have a yellow cake mix on hand, grab a butter cake mix or even a lemon cake mix instead.
  • Leave out the pecans or swap them out! Feel free to leave out the nuts altogether, or use finely chopped walnuts or even pistachios in place of the pecans.
Four raspberry bars stacked on top of a white plate

If you don’t have any quick oats on hand, you can substitute rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats) by pulsing them in a food processor a few times. Be sure to measure them out for the recipe after they take a spin in the food processor, not before!

Raspberry bars stacked on a white plate, with a bite taken out of the corner of the top bar

STORAGE AND FREEZING TIPS

Store the bars in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days.

If you’d like to freeze these Raspberry Bars, place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container. If you need to layer the bars, place pieces of parchment paper between them. 

Freeze the bars for up to 1 month. Let the bars thaw at room temperature before serving, or microwave for 30 seconds to warm them before digging in!

Raspberry bars on a white plate, with the top bar broken in half
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Raspberry Bars

By: Jamie
4.36 from 14 votes
Servings: 16
These Raspberry Bars are as easy as can be to make! This recipe uses cake mix, oats, and brown sugar to create a delicious crumble topping over the top of a raspberry jam filling. 

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix 15.25 ounces
  • 2 ½ cups quick-cooking oats
  • cup packed light brown sugar
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter melted
  • ¼ cup pecan chips optional
  • 1 cup raspberry jam
  • 1 tablespoon water

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9″×13″ inch pan. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together cake mix, oats, brown sugar, and melted butter so that it makes nice clumps and there is no dry mix left. Press just over 1/2 of the oat mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Stir the pecans into the remaining oat mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, mix jam with water, and spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture evenly over the top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 23 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Cool before cutting into bars.

Video

Notes

Adapted from allrecipes

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar, Calories: 307kcal, Carbohydrates: 50g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 262mg, Potassium: 69mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 29g, Vitamin A: 425IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 109mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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30 Comments

  1. Amanda says:

    Trash! That's hilarious. :) Cake mixes are just such a time-saver in fancy treats like this. Who doesn't love that?!

    I made a from scratch version of a blueberry oat bar last week and it got rave reviews too. Must be oatbar season.

  2. sherri says:

    I have all these ingredients so I will make this! I love junk recipes! One man's junk is another man's treasure!

  3. Engineer Baker says:

    How funny! While I don't tend to use box mixes, I do have a couple sitting on my shelves just in case. While scratch cakes are better, sometimes you just don't have the time! These look wonderful too, so maybe the mixes just have to be repurposed.

  4. Jamie says:

    Alison-

    Thanks for your kind words!! In regards to the photography, I have gotten quite a few emails about this topic. However, I feel like a fraud giving out tips because I am by no means qualified to do so. I may post a very general entry about my equipment, set-up etc. in the near future. Thanks for commenting and stopping by!

    -Jamie

  5. Alison says:

    Funny….your top 3 "things to know" would be the same as mine! :) Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I love your blog, occasional cake mixes or not. I'm not afraid to use a shortcut now and then if the recipe is still good. In many ways, you have become my go-to when I'm wanting to try something new.

    I also really appreciate the advancement of your photography. One of these days, give us some info on that piece. I'm a basic point and shoot girl, but would love to expand my horizons.

  6. Smitten Sugar says:

    These look great! And how super easy to pull together. Thanks for the recipe!

  7. Ingrid says:

    Okay, well, you know I've got NO problem with shortcuts, semi-homemade, or recipes that use box mixes. As a matter of fact as a busy mom of three I love when I find a good one! So thanks for sharing! Even better that my mini foodie can make these w/little help!

    THANK YOU for the award! :)
    ~ingrid

  8. Mireya says:

    These bars look fantastic!!

  9. Sara says:

    That's so funny that someone "trash" tagged because of cake mix. I love cake mix and there is nothing wrong with it! :) These bars look great. I love that you used what you had on hand, it sounds like a great combo. Thanks SO MUCH for the award! I really appreciate it.

  10. Maria says:

    Ha! that is funny they tagged your bars as trash. I doubt anything you make is even near that category! Love the jam bars! Fun learning more about you too:)