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Almond Cream Cheese Shortbread Bars
4.6 from 21 votes

Almond Cream Cheese Shortbread Bars

An easy, buttery shortbread crust is topped with cream cheese and irresistible almond frosting!! These cookie bars taste like something you'd buy at a bakery! 

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
34 mins
Cooling Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 34 mins
Servings: 12
Calories: 299 kcal
Course: Baked Goods
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Crust
  • ½ cup butter very soft (1 stick, unsalted
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ teaspoon salt optional or to taste
Filling
  • 4 ounces cream cheese softened (lite is okay, brick-style
  • 1 egg large
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons almond extract I used 2
Frosting
  • ¼ cup butter softened (half of 1 stick, unsalted
  • 1 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • cream about 2 tablespoons, or milk
  • almonds mine were untoasted, about 1/4 cup, slivered

Instructions

Crust:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine all crust ingredients and using two forks or your hands, cut butter into dry ingredients until evenly distributed and pea-sized lumps and sandy bits form. The softer the butter is, the quicker and easier it is.
  3. Turn mixture out into prepared pan and hard-pack it with a spatula or hands to create an even, uniform, flat crust layer.
  4. Bake crust for about 15 minutes, or just until barely set (pan is going back in oven so don’t overbake or crust will be crumbly).
  5. While crusts bakes, prepare the filling.
Filling:
  1. In a large bowl (same one is fine, just wipe out with a paper towel), add all filling ingredients, and whisk by hand or beat with an electric mixer until smooth and combined; it’s okay filling is on the thin side. I prefer a stronger almond flavor and use 2 teaspoons extract, if you don’t, scale the amount back.
  2. After crust has baked for about 15 minutes, remove pan from the oven, and evenly pour filling mixture over the crust. Filling will likely slide into place, but lightly spread it into corners using a spatula if necessary.
  3. Return pan to oven and bake for about 16 to 19 minutes, or until filling is no longer jiggly in the center and edges have begun to set up; filling will set up more as it cools.
  4. Remove pan from oven, and place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
  1. In a large bowl (same one is fine, just wipe out with a paper towel), add the butter, confectioners’ sugar, almond extract, and slowly drizzle in the cream while whisking by hand or beating with an electric mixer. As necessary, add additional cream (or sugar) to reach desired glaze consistency.
  2. Evenly frost the bars, smoothing frosting lightly with a spatula as necessary.
  3. Evenly sprinkle with slivered almonds.
  4. Allow bars to cool in pan uncovered for at least 1 hour (or overnight and cover with a sheet of foil) before slicing and serving so frosting can set up.

Notes

  • Bars will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days. I’m comfortable storing frosted items at room temp; store in the fridge if you’re not, noting bars could become overly dry in the fridge, or store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 299kcal (15%) Carbohydrates 32g (11%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 18g (28%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 6g (35%) Cholesterol 60mg (20%) Sodium 93mg (4%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 21g (42%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 299

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 299kcal 15%
Carbohydrates 32g 11%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 18g 28%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 6g 35%
Cholesterol 60mg 20%
Sodium 93mg 4%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 21g 42%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.