Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars
Updated October 06, 2020
Hello, December! It’s nice to see you…I think! How is it December already? I love December, so I am excited, but I am nervous too!
My holiday to-do list is long and the countdown is on! I have SO much to do! It is time to focus and get down to business.
Of course, baking is number one on my December to-do list. I have a million cookies and treats to bake. It is a family tradition to bake up a storm during the holidays and I am not missing out this year. First up, these Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars.
I love making these Almond Shortbread Bars during the holidays because they are festive, super easy to make, and everyone loves them! You make them in a 9X13 pan, which is nice because you don’t have to scoop up dough. Just put them in the pan and bake away!
I like to use Land O Lakes® European Style Super Premium Butter. Have you guys tried this butter? It is the cream of the crop! I tried it at Ree Drummond’s ranch when it first came out and I have been hooked ever since.
It’s made with fresh sweet cream and has a higher fat content than traditional butters, giving it a rich flavor. It is so good you will want to eat it by the stick. It is the perfect butter for my shortbread bars because the buttery taste really shines through!
The bars have a thick, buttery shortbread crust, a layer of raspberry jam, an almond streusel topping, and finally, a sweet almond glaze!
The bars are great for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or gift-giving! I think Santa will like them, too:)
Make sure you add Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars to your holiday baking list this year! And maybe I will ignore the rest of my to-do list and spend the entire month in the kitchen with butter, sugar, and flour. Sounds like the perfect month to me:) Happy holiday baking!
Raspberry Almond Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold Land O Lakes® European Style Unsalted Butter cut into small pieces
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds
For the Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until butter is mixed in, but you still have small chunks of butter. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Add into the flour and butter mixture and stir to combine. The dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.
- Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the bottom crust. Crumble the remaining dough over the jam. Sprinkle with sliced almonds.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- While the bars are cooling, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and almond extract. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars. Cut into squares and serve.
