Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Leave the overhang on two sides for easy removal. Lightly spray with nonstick spray for even easier removal.

In a small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. To brown the butter for a deeper, caramel, nutty flavor, brown until the milk solids turn a golden-brown color. Then, immediately remove the pan from the heat source to prevent it from burning.

Add brown sugar and vanilla to browned butter and stir to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add dry ingredients: gluten-free flour, gluten-free oats, salt, and baking soda. Stir to combine.

Pour melted butter and brown sugar mixture over the dry ingredients and stir to fully combine using a wooden spoon or spatula.

Reserve about ¾ cup of the oat mixture for the topping for the bars. Set aside.

Dump the remaining oat mixture into the prepared pan and press it down with your hands or the back of a spatula into a flat even layer. Bake for 10 minutes.

Remove the partially baked crust from the oven and spread the jam on top of the cookie base.

Crumble the reserved oat mixture over the top of the jam layer. Return to oven and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until the topping is light golden brown.

Remove from oven. Note: the bars will firm up as they cool. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely.

These bars are soft when they are warm or at room temperature.