Cookies, Pies, and Easy Cake Recipes: 27 of Our Best Diabetic-Friendly Desserts

Indulge in diabetic-friendly cookies, pies & cakes from this FREE ebook. From crispy, crunchy cookies, to luscious pies, and decadent cakes, youll find all the treats and goodies you need to satisfy your sweet cravings!

Bonus: Get our newsletter & special offers for free. We will not share or sell your email address. View our Privacy Policy

Crunchy Oat Apricot Bars

(11 Votes)

Share This Recipe

SERVES: 36

COOK TIME: 35 Min

Crunchy Oat Apricot Bars make the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. Our apricot bars have just the right amount of satisfying crunch to go along with that sweet apricot taste. Our Crunchy Oat Apricot Bars are a hearty and filling way to keep yourself on track.

What You'll Need

1 1/2 cup regular oats
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup reduced-calorie stick margarine
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup sugar-free apricot preserves

What to Do

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9" x 13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.- Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, margarine, and vanilla in a large bowl. Cut the margarine into the mixture with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture is crumbly.
Press half of the oat mixture over the bottom of the baking dish. Spread the apricot preserves over the oat mixture. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the apricot preserves, and gently press.
Bake for 35 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Test Kitchen Tip

We know our Crunchy Oat Apricot Bars are perfect when you're on the move. For more on-the-go recipe ideas, check out our delicious Chicken and Broccoli Hand Pies and Loaded Egg Muffins!
Ready for a sit-down dinner? Then the aroma of these Easy Meatloaf Recipes are sure to draw the family to the dinner table.
Don't forget to complete the meal with these Decadent Low-Carb Desserts!

Up Next:

Diabetic Cookie Recipes

Share This Recipe

Nutritional InformationShow More

Servings Per Recipe: 36

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
Calories 66
Calories from Fat 10
Total Fat 1.1g 2 %
Saturated Fat 0.2g 1 %
Trans Fat 0.0g 0 %
Protein 1.6g 3 %

Amount Per Serving % Daily Value *
Cholesterol 0.0mg 0 %
Sodium 26mg 1 %
Total Carbohydrates 13g 4 %
Dietary Fiber 2.8g 11 %
Sugars 3.0g 0 %

Ratings & Comments

My Rating:

I have not made this yet so I cannot rate it.

We are adding your Comments.

Thank you! Your comment has been added.

We are sorry. There was an error tyring to post your rating and review.

Your comment will appear after our editors have had a chance to review it.

Cancel Reply to Comment

Thanks for your comment. Don't forget to share!

sehendri 3889958

Jan 19, 2020

This was basically a bust. If you put the ingredients into a 9 x 13 inch pan, it makes a layer less than an inch thick. THEN you're supposed to cut it into 36 servings? So, basically you're getting a postage-stamp size bar. It's basically a waste of time and ingredients to make these up and expect someone is going to eat that postage stamp size piece and call it breakfast. I definitely do NOT recommend this recipe. There are so many other fruit bars on the internet that have less carbs and you don't feel like you're eating a mouse's portion.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

Benita

Jun 04, 2019

I make this weekly using a variety of fruit spreads. I use truvia brown sugar, whole wheat flour, and add flax seed. My grandkids love them and I feel good about giving them a pretty healthy treat.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

reimerosa 9915225

Mar 20, 2017

if it has too much of something for you-either substitute or don't make it! Why trash the recipe? Most recipes are quite flexible and are easily changed to accommodate diets and taste preferences!

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

Littlebit 5103

Feb 23, 2016

Just tried today. Love! I only used 1 cup of preserves and ground some oats into flour replacing 3/4 cup of the white flour. Also cut into 42 bars to reduce carbs per cookie -- every little bit helps.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

wwdigger1975 3682256

Nov 26, 2014

I don't have to watch carbs but got friends who do so I would use the smuckers simply fruit apricot. It has that wonderful summer time apricot taste without added sugar and instead of using straight brown sugar, I would use the splenda/brown sugar blend I find in the cooking/baking Aisle. Thanks for the recipe.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

wwdigger1975 3682256

Nov 26, 2014

I have to watch my carbs too and I used Smuckers Simply fruit apricot because its sweetened just with fruit juice and its got that knock you flat on your backside perfect summer fruit taste and used the splenda/brown sugar blend instead of just straight brown sugar. That way I get my brown sugary taste and still cut down on sugars. thanks for the recipe.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

treklovers1964

Apr 24, 2014

um, you CAN substitute SPLENDA or Truvia or some other sugar-free sweetener, and I know for a fact that there are sugar-free jams, jellies, and preserves out there...you don't HAVE to follow the recipe EXACTLY.. I watch a 4 year old who is a diabetic AND has Celiac's Disease, so if I was making this for him, I'd have something to complain about. But really, complaining because this "has sugar and preserves and too much of both"?? USE your HEADS!

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

Song Bird

Mar 20, 2017

was wondering if you could use sugar-free strawberry preserves.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

Test Kitchen Team

Mar 24, 2017

Absolutely! You can use any flavor preserves you prefer. Enjoy!

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

gramgramp 6005027

Jun 17, 2013

made this the other day for my Mom and sister both being diabetics they really enjoyed this tasty dessert...will make again but maybe using a different filling...very easy to make also

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

Test Kitchen Team

Jun 04, 2013

Thank you for comments. We will bring this recipe back to the Test Kitchen and see what we can do.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

ohneclue 8213602

Jun 03, 2013

I can't believe you folks really think this is a "diabetic recipe with 3/4 c brown sugar, 1.5 cups apricot preserves and then, think only "10 g sugar" in each cookie. There are 12 grams sugar in each cooking, using your recipe. Plus there ARE trans fats in margarine, even a lot of the "soft" kinds. You folks really need to get healthier in your recipes if you want to have them be good for ANYONE let alone diabetics. My reference for this is the USDA nutritional content guide build 24, the most recent.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

renglert 5270779

Jun 03, 2013

I wholeheartedly agree with you. I reckon there is more sugar added to this than necessary. I can't see why you need to add more sugar to the top section. Re the apricots I would be tempted to try soaking some dried ones in water (I would have to work out quantity). I certainly would not use canned apricots in syrup. It would have to be natural juice probably the quantity reduced by adding some water. The one really good ingredient is the oats - low good carbohydrates which fill you up for longer so you need to eat less.

REPLY
WAS THIS HELPFUL? Yes No
REPORT ABUSE

sandigiles 3168183

Jun 04, 2013

Sorry but I agree with the comments by "ohneclue 8213602 Jun 03, 2013" Please be more careful, eating for diabetics is life and death ...... I like your recipes but occasionally have to modify them. Sandi