Strawberry Rye Squares

• 1 ¼ cups rye flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unbleached raw sugar
• 1 large egg, plus 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Scant 1 cup strawberry preserves (or your favorite jam)
• ¾ cup lightly toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch pan and line it with parchment paper so there are overlapping flaps. Butter and flour the parchment paper.  

Whisk together the flours, oats, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat together the butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Add the flour mixture and stir slowly to mix completely. 

Layer about 2/3 of the dough into the baking pan, pressing into an even layer. Spread the preserves evenly over the top. Drop the remaining dough in small clumps to the cover the jam, letting a little jam peek through. Sprinkle with the nuts. 

Bake until the dough is set and golden, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool slightly in the pan, about 15 minutes, and then use the parchment to lift the bars onto a flat surface.  Serve warm or cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to three days.

VERDICT:  I'm finding these a little addictive--I keep cutting out little squares when I walk through the kitchen.  I used regular old Smuckers and they still turned out very nicely.  Keep.