Nutty Oatmeal Apricot Squares

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup pecan halves
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cup apricot preserves

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray.

Pulse pecans in a food processor until coarsely chopped, 3 to 5 times. Add oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt; pulse 3 to 4 times.

Sprinkle butter cubes over the top of the flour-oat mixture. Pulse until butter is the size of small peas, 3 to 5 times.

Spread 1/2 of oat mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, pressing down lightly. Spread apricot preserves over oat mixture to 1/4-inch of the edge. Top with remaining oat mixture and press down lightly.

Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before cutting.