Desserts Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. 
Serving Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Luscious Apricot Squares
A buttery shortbread base topped with a cake-like apricot-caramel layer studded with walnuts.
Contains common allergens
In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.
Instructions
6 steps- 1
In a small covered saucepan, cook the dried apricots in enough water to cover over low heat for 15 minutes. Drain, then finely chop and set aside.
- 2
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease an 8x8-inch pan. In a large bowl, measure 1 cup of the flour with the butter, margarine, and granulated sugar. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well mixed and crumbly, then pat evenly into the pan.
- 3
Bake the base for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- 4
Meanwhile, in the same bowl combine the remaining 1/3 cup flour, the eggs, chopped apricots, brown sugar, walnuts, baking powder, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium speed until well mixed, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- 5
Pour the apricot mixture over the baked layer and return to the oven. Bake about 25 minutes longer, until golden and set.
- 6
Cool completely in the pan, then cut into squares and dust with the confectioners' sugar.
Images are for illustrative purposes only, may be inaccurate, and do not guarantee the presence or absence of specific ingredients. Listahan Family Score™
72/100
Good fit for most families
Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.
Nutrition
per serving220
Calories
2 g
Protein
27 g
Carbs
12 g
Fat
Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.
Listahan cooking guide
Chef notes & practical guide
Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.
Cultural context
Apricot squares are part of the American bar-cookie tradition that flourished in community and Junior League cookbooks throughout the 1950s and 1960s. The format -- a buttery shortbread base, a sweet-tart fruit filling, and a powdered-sugar finish -- draws from European linzer bar and jam tart traditions, which were adapted by American home bakers who had access to abundant dried fruit year-round. Dried apricots in particular became a signature filling because their intense tartness balanced the sweet brown-sugar filling and did not make the base soggy the way fresh fruit could.
Listahan note
This version simmers the dried apricots before folding them into a brown-sugar-egg batter, producing a filling that is jammy and cohesive rather than firm or chewy.
Technique cues
- Simmering the dried apricots until they are just tender (not mushy) before chopping and adding them to the filling is what distinguishes a jammy, flavor-intensive apricot square from one with tough, chewy fruit pockets -- the brief hydration step also extracts flavor into the apricot pieces themselves.
- Pre-baking the shortbread base for 10-12 minutes before adding the filling prevents the notorious 'soggy bottom' of bar cookies: the par-baked crust creates a moisture barrier that keeps the base crisp even as the filling bakes and steams.
- Fold the walnuts into the filling rather than pressing them on top; walnuts on the surface of a fruit-and-egg filling brown aggressively and can become bitter before the filling fully sets, while folded nuts stay moist and evenly integrated.
Kitchen flow
- Parallel prep
- Start simmering the apricots before making the shortbread base dough; by the time the base is pressed into the pan and par-baked, the apricots will be tender and ready to chop.
- Make-ahead
- These squares are better on day 2 -- the shortbread base softens slightly and the filling melds; bake the day before serving and dust with confectioners' sugar just before cutting.
- Leftover move
- Warm leftover squares briefly in the microwave (10-15 seconds) and serve with vanilla ice cream or a dollop of creme fraiche.
- Cleanup rhythm
- Line the baking pan with parchment paper and leave overhanging sides; lift the entire slab out to cut on a board, leaving the pan nearly clean.
Ingredient brief
Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.
1 cup dried apricots
filling and primary flavor
Purpose: Dried apricots are the defining ingredient -- their sweet-tart intensity is what gives these squares their distinctive flavor that fresh apricots cannot replicate.
Handling: Simmer in water to cover for about 15 minutes until just plump and tender; drain, cool slightly, and chop finely before adding to the brown sugar filling.
Adaptation: Dried sour cherries or a mixture of dried apricots and dried cranberries maintains the tart-sweet profile.
1/2 cup butter (softened)
shortbread base fat
Purpose: Butter gives the shortbread base its rich flavor, golden color, and the crisp-yet-tender texture that contrasts with the soft filling.
Handling: Soften at room temperature for 30 minutes; the shortbread base creams better with soft rather than melted butter, producing a more evenly textured crust.
Adaptation: Vegan butter sticks work at the same quantity for a dairy-free version.
1 cup packed light brown sugar
filling sweetener and caramel depth
Purpose: Brown sugar's molasses content pairs naturally with the tartness of the apricots and creates a filling with caramel-like depth rather than flat sweetness.
Handling: Pack firmly into the measuring cup; the ratio of sugar to eggs is important for the filling to set correctly.
Adaptation: Coconut sugar can replace light brown sugar in equal measure for a similar molasses note.
2 large eggs
filling binder and set
Purpose: Eggs beaten into the filling create a custard-like set when baked -- without them, the sugar and apricot mixture would remain liquid or become candy-hard rather than fudgy.
Handling: Beat lightly before adding to the brown sugar so they incorporate smoothly without over-aerating the filling.
Adaptation: No reliable egg substitute for this application; the eggs are structural, not cosmetic.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
texture and richness
Purpose: Walnuts add a mild bitterness and crunch that counterbalances the intense sweetness of the apricot filling.
Handling: Chop roughly into pieces about the size of a dried pea; too fine and they disappear into the filling, too large and they interrupt the texture.
Adaptation: Pecans are a milder, buttery substitute; omit entirely for a nut-free version.
Technique notes
- The filling should jiggle slightly in the center when the pan is removed from the oven -- like a set custard, not a liquid; it firms up as it cools and a fully-set filling during baking will be dry and over-cooked.
- Dust the confectioners' sugar through a fine sieve just before serving rather than before storage; the sugar absorbs moisture from the filling during storage and becomes invisible, defeating the purpose.
- Score the squares into portions before the confectioners' sugar is applied, using a sharp knife dipped in hot water; clean scoring lines through a fully cooled slab are much easier to achieve than cutting a dusted, finished square.
Ingredient swaps
- Nut-free direction
- Omit the walnuts entirely; the squares are fully cohesive without them and the apricot filling is the star.
- Dairy-free direction
- Replace butter (base) and margarine with a single vegan butter stick variety at the combined quantity (3/4 cup total); the shortbread base will be slightly crumblier but still cohesive.
- Lower-sugar option
- Reduce the brown sugar in the filling by a quarter cup and increase the chopped apricots by the same volume; the natural fruit sugar compensates for some of the reduction.
Serve alongside
- Earl Grey tea with a slice of lemon
- small scoop of apricot sorbet for a unified flavor plate
- fresh raspberries for color and tartness contrast
- hot Earl Grey or Darjeeling tea
- a glass of Sauternes or late-harvest Riesling
- sparkling water with a squeeze of orange
Serving suggestions only — check pairings for your household's allergens.
Storage & reheating
- Store in an airtight container, layers separated by parchment, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate for up to 1 week; the filling firms up when cold, so allow 20-30 minutes at room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freeze individually wrapped squares for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature overnight and re-dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- parchment paper with overhanging sides
- small saucepan for simmering apricots
- fine-mesh sieve for dusting confectioners' sugar
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