Buttery Guava Jam Bars (Printable)

Buttery crumbly bars with sweet guava jam and a golden streusel topping for a tropical twist.

# What You Need:

→ Cookie Base and Streusel

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Filling

08 - 1 cup guava jam or guava paste, softened

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - Add cold, cubed butter and blend using a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Add egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined and a crumbly dough forms.
05 - Press approximately two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared pan to create the base layer.
06 - Gently spread guava jam over the base, leaving a small border around the edges.
07 - Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the jam layer to form the streusel topping.
08 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is lightly golden brown.
09 - Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They taste like a bakery secret but come together faster than you'd think, no special skills required.
  • The tropical guava transforms an ordinary cookie bar into something that feels like a little vacation on a plate.
  • They're naturally vegetarian and make the perfect thing to bring somewhere, wrapped up in parchment and tied with string.
02 -
  • Using cold butter and not overworking the dough is the difference between bars that feel like biting into a cloud and ones that turn dense and heavy.
  • Cutting the bars while they're still slightly warm makes cleaner edges, but waiting until completely cool makes them less likely to crumble apart when you lift them.
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment paper that overhangs the sides, then use those handles to lift the entire bar slab onto a cutting board, where you can slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water between cuts.
  • Store these in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days, though they'll disappear long before that if anyone knows they're in your kitchen.
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