Simple Homemade Strawberry Jam Squares

# What You Need:

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour

02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar

05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

06 - 1 large egg

07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

08 - 3/4 cup seedless strawberry jam

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for removal.

02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

03 - Add cold, cubed butter and blend with a pastry cutter or fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

04 - Mix in egg and vanilla extract until dough just forms; avoid overmixing.

05 - Press roughly two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.

06 - Spread strawberry jam evenly over the base, leaving a small border at edges.

07 - Crumble the remaining dough over the jam in small clusters.

08 - Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the top turns light golden brown.

09 - Let cool completely in pan before lifting out using parchment and slicing into 16 squares.

01 -

The dough comes together in minutes and doesn't require chilling or rolling out.
You can swap the jam for whatever you have in the pantry and it still tastes like you planned it.
They slice cleanly, freeze beautifully, and taste even better the next day.

02 -

Cold butter is non-negotiable—if it's too soft, the dough will turn greasy and dense instead of crumbly.
Let the squares cool completely before slicing, or the jam will still be molten and you'll end up with a delicious mess instead of neat pieces.

03 -

Freeze the butter for 10 minutes before cutting it in if your kitchen is warm—it makes all the difference in texture.
Use a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts for the neatest squares, and don't saw back and forth or the crumble will fall apart.