Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and grease an 8x8 inch square cake pan with baking spray. Optionally, line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal, and set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Then add in the vanilla extract, flour, and salt, and mix until a very crumbly dough has formed. Sprinkle about 2/3 of the dough into your prepared baking sheet and press down evenly and firmly to create your crust layer. Spread the jam evenly on top of the crust. Then sprinkle the remaining dough in small clumps all over the top of the jam, spreading fairly evenly, and leaving areas where the jam peaks through.

Bake for 28-30 minutes, or until the top of the bars is golden brown all over. Cool completely in the pan before removing, slicing, and optionally dusting with powdered sugar. Enjoy!