Almond Shortbread Bars
User Reviews
4.2
Almond Shortbread Bars
Description
The base dough blends room temperature butter and sugar until creamy, then incorporates egg, almond paste, and almond extract for additional moisture and pronounced almond flavor. Flour is gently folded in to preserve the tender crumb of the shortbread. After being spread into a baking pan, the dough bakes until edges show a light golden hue, indicating a delicate set without overbaking to maintain its softness.
Once slightly cooled, the bars receive a glaze made by heating butter and cream, then combining with sifted confectioner's sugar and almond extract, topped with sliced almonds. The glaze adds a smooth, sweet layer that pairs harmoniously with the buttery, nutty crust below.
The almond notes permeate the bars, delivering a rich but not overwhelming flavor profile that complements the crumbly texture. They can be served as a dessert or snack, offering a balance of tenderness and subtle crunch from the almond slices.
For gluten-free adaptations, appropriate flour substitutes can be used without impacting the almond flavor prominently featured in this recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup almond paste at room temperature
- 1 egg at room temperature, large
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
glaze
- 1/2 cup butter unsalted
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 1/2 confectioner's sugar up to 3 cups, sifted
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup almonds sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F Lightly butter and flour a 9x13 baking pan.
- Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Add the egg, almond paste, and extract, and beat until well combined. Make sure to smooth out any lumps of almond paste.
- Add the flour and gently mix until just blended and no dry flour remains. Don't over mix.
- Spread the dough out evenly in the baking pan with an offset spatula. It will take a minute or two to get it spread and level. I like to drop chunks of the batter all over the bottom of the pan before I start to try to spread it out.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, just until set and starting to turn golden along the edges of the pan. Don't over bake, as you want your shortbread to be tender. Check the pan on the early side.
- Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before glazing.
- To make the glaze, heat the butter and cream in a medium saucepan until the butter melts. Stir in the sugar and extract, and whisk until the glaze is smooth. If it seems too thin, add a bit more sugar, and if it seems too thick, add a touch more cream. Stir in the sliced almonds and pour over the warm shortbread. Ease the glaze to all the edges with an offset spatula, working quickly.
- Let the pan cool before slicing.
Notes
- Use a high-quality gluten-free baking mix as a one-to-one substitute for all-purpose flour to make these bars gluten free.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 20servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 251 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 251kcal | 13% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 18g | 28% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 48mg | 16% |
| Sodium | 78mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 59mg | 1% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 10g | 20% |
| Vitamin A | 481IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 0.02mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 25mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.2
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