Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 8-inch pan (square) with cooking spray. Then line with parchment paper. Leave the overhang on two sides for easy 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 turns 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, combine dry ingredients: flour, oats, salt, and baking soda.

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 8-inch baking pan (square) and press it down into the bottom of the prepared pan with your hands or the back of a spatula into a flat even layer. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.

Crumble the remaining mixture of oats over the top of the jam layer. Return to oven and bake for another 15-18 minutes, until the crumble 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 best served soft when they are warm or at room temperature.