First, chop up the apricots into slices and discard the pits.

Then, add the apricot slices, sugar, and lemon juice to a saucepan. Stir together and bring to a boil.

Once the jam is boiling, turn the heat down to a simmer so that the jam is still bubbling but more slowly. Stir consistently and cook the jam anywhere from 20-30 minutes until it has thickened and the apricot slices have broken down completely.

You can check if the jam is ready through several methods, but I like to dip a spoon into the jam at the 20-minute mark to check. If the jam easily runs off the spoon, continue to cook. If the jam slowly falls off the spoon, it is likely ready and can be removed from the heat. If you have a candy thermometer the setting point for Jam is 220F/105C which is the most accurate way to check your jam.

Once the jam is ready, remove it from the stove and set it aside to cool and thicken.

Preheat your oven to 350F and line an 8*8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl add in your brown sugar, cane sugar, melted coconut oil, flax egg, and vanilla bean paste and use a standing mixer/whisk to combine.

Once combined, add in the flour, salt, and baking powder making sure to add the flour first and the other two ingredients on top.

Then, mix together until a thick batter forms. The batter will be thick like cookie dough, but should not be dry and crumbly. If the batter is too dry, add 1 tablespoon of water or almond milk until the dough holds together.

Take out ¼ of the dough and mix it with the ¼ cup of chopped/slivered almonds. Then, set aside for later.

Take the remaining ¾ of the dough and add it to a parchment-lined baking dish. Use a spatula, spoon, or your hands to pat the dough down so that it is spread evenly.

Then, add the pan to the oven to par-bake the crust for 10 minutes.

Remove the baking dish from the oven at the 10-minute mark and evenly coat with the ¾ cup of apricot jam. Next, take the remaining dough that was mixed with the almonds, break into chunks, and sprinkle the junks of dough on top of the jam. This will be the almond cookie topping.

Add the pan back to the oven and bake an additional 20-25 minutes until the crust has cooked through and the crumble topping is beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before slicing. It's crucial to let the bars cool completely for even slices as the dough will still be soft while warm. Then, serve and enjoy!