Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars
User Reviews
5
24 reviews
Excellent
Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars
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These Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars feature a rich almond-scented buttery crust topped with sweet raspberry jam and a crunchy almond streusel. The combination yields a tender, flaky base with a jammy center and a nutty, crisp crumb topping, making a substantial dessert or snack bar.
Description
Raspberry Almond Crumb Bars begin with a buttery dough rich in almond extract, sugar, egg, and flour, creating a tender and flaky crust. The dough is beaten with softened butter and sugar until fluffy before adding almond flavor and an egg, then combined with flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. The crust is prebaked for better texture before layering on seedless raspberry jam and a streusel mixture of melted butter, sugar, flour, and sliced almonds.
The bars bake at 375°F in a prepared 9x13 inch pan that can be lined with parchment for easier removal. The topping adds crunchy almond texture and sweetness, contrasting the soft jam and tender crust. Measuring the flour by spooning and leveling ensures the right dough consistency. The dessert is suitable for serving at room temperature and can be cut into bars for sharing.
Beating the butter and sugar thoroughly is essential to achieve a light crust. Chilling the crust before baking improves tenderness and flakiness. Prebaking the crust before adding jam and crumb topping helps prevent sogginess and preserves the desired textures.
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Ingredients
- 1 & 1/2 cups butter 3 sticks, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup seedless raspberry jam or more to taste
- 1/2 cup butter 1 stick, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup almonds or more to taste, sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter. It's even easier if you line the pan with parchment paper, that way you can lift the bars straight out of the pan. No greasing necessary. You can line with aluminum foil too, but make sure to grease it.
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 1 and 1/2 cups softened butter. (Yes, 3 sticks!) Beat until it is smooth and creamy, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add 1 cup sugar. Beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. The sugar should be well incorporated into the butter; be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Add 1 and 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Add 1 egg and beat to combine well, scraping the sides.
- Add 3 cups flour, but don't mix it in yet. Be sure to spoon and level the flour into the measuring cup so it is not packed. Stir 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon kosher salt into the flour with a small spoon. (This is just to make sure you don't get any lumps of salt or baking powder in your dough.) Gently beat the flour into the butter mixture on low. Don't over mix! Once all the flour is incorporated, there are no white streaks, and you have scraped the sides of the bowl, stop mixing.
- Add the dough to the prepared 9x13 inch pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan. I usually wet my hands with a smidge of water so that they don't stick to the dough too much. For best results, refrigerate or freeze the dough in the pan for about 20 minutes. You can skip this step if you are in a hurry, but chilled shortbread going into a hot oven makes for the best flaky texture.
- Bake the crust at 375 for about 15-20 minutes, until the edges are barely golden brown. When it is done, take it out of the oven and lower the oven temperature to 350.
- Meanwhile, make the crumb topping. Melt 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) in a medium bowl. Add 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup flour. Stir it together lightly with a fork. Stop mixing once it's together. Put it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes while your crust finishes baking.
- When the crust is done baking, stir 1 cup of seedless raspberry jam in a small bowl to get all the lumps out. Spread the jam over the top of the crust, leaving about a 1/2 inch border along the edges.
- Get the chilled crumb topping out of the fridge and fluff with a fork. Add abut 3/4 cup sliced almonds to the crumb topping and gently stir it together.
- Sprinkle the crumb topping in chunks over the top of the jam. If it is very sandy, you can squeeze small bits together in your hand to make more solid crumb pieces. I like to do this because I'm obsessed with giant pieces of crumb topping!
- Make sure you lower the oven temperature to 350 F. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until the top is light golden brown.
- The bars are done when the top starts turning a light golden brown, and the edges are light brown.
- Let the bars cool completely, if you have will-power made of steel. Otherwise snag a bite as soon as the jam has cooled to non-lava levels. I do prefer these bars served room temperature, but sometimes you just can't wait.If you lined the pan with parchment paper, you can easily lift the cooled bars from the pan for easy slicing. Store well-covered on the counter.
Notes
- Beat butter and sugar well before adding other ingredients to ensure a light crust.
- Chill the crust before baking to achieve a tender, flaky texture.
- Prebake the crust prior to adding jam and streusel to prevent soggy bars and maintain crispness.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
419kcal
(21%)
Carbohydrates
49g
(16%)
Protein
5g
(10%)
Fat
23g
(35%)
Saturated Fat
12g
(60%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
58mg
(19%)
Potassium
113mg
(2%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
26g
(52%)
Vitamin A
581IU
(12%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
41mg
(4%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 20Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 419 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 419kcal | 21% |
| Carbohydrates | 49g | 16% |
| Protein | 5g | 10% |
| Fat | 23g | 35% |
| Saturated Fat | 12g | 60% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 58mg | 19% |
| Potassium | 113mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 26g | 52% |
| Vitamin A | 581IU | 12% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 41mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
24 reviews
Excellent
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