Anna Olson’s Quaker Oat Flour Jam Streusel Squares make the perfect back-to-school treat

Whether you’re tucking a sweet treat into your little one’s lunchbox or bringing dessert to a family dinner, autumn is the perfect time to show off your baking skills. If you’re looking to update a favourite back-to-school recipe with toasty fall flavours, oat flour is an easy way to add some whole grain goodness to your plate.

What is oat flour?

Oat flour, like this one made by Quaker, is produced by grinding whole grain oats down to a fine consistency. It has a sandy, golden hue and a powdery texture, and is a highly versatile ingredient. Oat flour adds a delicious, slight nuttiness to a wide variety of baked goods and is a great way to add the wholesome goodness of whole grain oats to your day. 

Ideas on how to use oat flour

The comforting taste of oatmeal is already familiar to many busy parents as overnight oats and crunchy granola have become the trendy recipes du jour. Oat flour takes it one step further: it can be a binder in scones, excels at producing moist baked goods that are sturdy enough for a packed lunch, and keeps well for snacks and desserts throughout the week. 

Making Anna Olson’s Quaker Oat Flour jam streusel squares is a great way to get the kids involved in baking. This one-bowl, no-fuss recipe combines pantry staples such as Quaker Large Flake Oats with the cozy fall flavours of vanilla and cinnamon. The simple streusel that’s patted in as a base and sprinkled as a topping is impervious to vigorous over-stirring and perfect for little helper’s hands (just remember to wash them thoroughly afterwards along with utensils and surfaces since raw oat flour, like wheat-based varieties, must be baked or cooked before eating). The melty layer of raspberry jam can be swapped out for your family’s favourite flavours or the perfect way to use up that lonely leftover jar in the fridge. These deliciously simple squares can be made in under an hour for a wholesome and easy snack that will fill your house with the aromas of fall.

Anna Olson’s Quaker Oat Flour jam streusel squares

• Prep time: 15 minutes
• Total time: 35 minutes
• Makes: 16 to 25 squares (made in one 9-inch square pan)

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups Quaker Oat Flour
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 1 ½ Quaker Large Flake Oats
• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (still warm is fine)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup raspberry jam

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch square pan and line it with parchment paper so that the paper comes up the sides.
2. Stir the oat flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together in a mixing bowl to combine. Whisk in the oats.
3. Stir in the melted butter and vanilla, stirring until the mixture is crumbly and no dry oat flour is visible.
4. Press two-thirds of the streusel into the bottom of the pan. Spread the jam overtop in an even layer and sprinkle the remaining streusel over the jam to cover it.
5. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the jam is bubbling at the edges. Cool the pan on a rack completely before lifting the whole square out, using the parchment paper, onto a cutting board to portion.

Note: The squares will keep in an airtight container for three days or refrigerated for a week.

For more tasty ways to add 100% whole grain Canadian oats to your day, check out more Quaker Oat Flour-based recipes here.