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Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 74 reviews

These Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars combine a tender, buttery almond shortbread crust with a vibrant layer of raspberry jam, topped with a crumbly almond-infused topping and toasted sliced almonds. Perfect as a delightful dessert or sweet snack, they offer a satisfying balance of rich almond flavor and fruity brightness in every bite.

Ingredients

Scale

Almond Shortbread Crust and Crumb Topping

  • 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/4 cup (25 g) finely ground almonds or almond flour (optional but recommended)

Raspberry Layer

  • 3/4 to 1 cup (240–300 g) raspberry jam or preserves
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest (optional)

Topping

  • 1/2 cup (40 g) sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Prepare your pan and oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal later, and lightly spray with nonstick baking spray.
  2. Cream the butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium speed using a hand or stand mixer until light, fluffy, and pale, about 2–3 minutes.
  3. Add egg and flavorings: Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
  4. Add dry ingredients to form the dough: Whisk together the flour, salt, and ground almonds in a separate bowl. Add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions, mixing on low speed just until a soft, thick dough forms without streaks of flour.
  5. Press most of the dough into the pan: Scoop about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the bottom to form a flat crust layer.
  6. Par-bake the crust: Bake the crust for 12–15 minutes until edges are set and slightly golden, then let it cool for about 5 minutes.
  7. Prepare the raspberry layer: Stir raspberry jam and lemon zest (if using) to loosen. Warm gently if thick or cold for easier spreading.
  8. Spread the raspberry jam: Evenly spread the jam over the warm shortbread crust, leaving a small border around the edges.
  9. Crumble the remaining dough on top: Break the remaining dough into small pieces and scatter evenly over the raspberry layer to create a crumb topping.
  10. Add sliced almonds: Sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the crumb topping.
  11. Bake until golden: Return the pan to the oven and bake for 25–30 minutes until the top is light golden, almonds toasted, and jam lightly bubbling. Tent with foil if almonds brown too quickly.
  12. Cool completely before cutting: Cool the bars on a rack for at least 2 hours. Use parchment overhang to remove from pan and cut into squares. For cleaner edges, chill 30 minutes before cutting.

Notes

  • Use room temperature butter to ensure even mixing and tender texture.
  • If your jam is very sweet, reduce sugar in the crust to 1/2 cup.
  • Ground almonds deepen flavor and improve crumb but are optional.
  • For gluten-free, substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend containing xanthan gum.
  • For dairy-free, substitute butter with a baking-quality plant-based butter stick.
  • Parchment paper helps achieve neat cutting and easy removal.
  • Bars improve in flavor if made a day in advance.

Keywords: raspberry almond bars, shortbread bars, almond shortbread, raspberry jam dessert, crumb bars, baked dessert, almond extract dessert

Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/raspberry-almond-shortbread-bars-recipe/