Irresistible Raspberry Crumble Bars

Indulge in these delightful Raspberry Bars, a perfect harmony of flavors and textures featuring a rich, buttery shortbread crust, a luscious layer of sweet raspberry jam, and a satisfyingly crunchy granola-almond topping.

A Note from the Baker

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Buttery Bottom, Jammy Middle, Crunchy Top – Pure Perfection!

There’s something uniquely comforting about a dessert that combines simple, wholesome ingredients into an extraordinary experience. While I’ve always cherished the classic pairing of shortbread and caramel, as seen in my beloved Caramel Cookie Bars, my exploration into fruit-based shortbread delights has revealed an equally enchanting, perhaps even superior, combination. Recipes like Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies and Lemon Curd Cookies consistently hit all the right notes, proving the magic of fruit and shortbread.

This passion is precisely what inspired the creation of these Raspberry Bars. I aimed to capture all those beloved flavors in an effortlessly accessible bar form. Forget the fuss of scooping or intricate shaping; this recipe simplifies the process, allowing you to layer everything into a single pan. The result? A perfectly buttery shortbread base, a delightfully gooey raspberry jam filling, and a robust crunchy almond granola topping. These bars offer a harmonious blend of sweetness and a hint of tartness, making them truly one of the most satisfying desserts I’ve ever had the pleasure of baking. They are a testament to how simple ingredients can create something truly spectacular.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Raspberry Bars

Crafting these delectable Raspberry Bars requires a thoughtful selection of ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need to create a buttery shortbread crust, a vibrant jammy filling, and a crispy topping:

• Unsalted Butter: The cornerstone of any great shortbread. Using cold, high-quality unsalted butter is paramount. Its chilliness prevents it from melting too quickly during mixing, ensuring a tender, flaky crust rather than a dense one. Good butter also contributes significantly to the overall rich flavor.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides the perfect level of sweetness, complementing the tartness of the raspberries and creating that signature melt-in-your-mouth shortbread texture.
• Vanilla Extract: A staple in baking, vanilla adds a warm, aromatic depth that enhances all other flavors in the bar. Opt for pure vanilla extract for the best results.
• Lemon Zest (Optional, but Recommended): A sprinkle of fresh lemon zest brightens the entire bar. Its citrusy aroma and subtle tang elevate the raspberry flavor, adding a refreshing counterpoint to the sweetness. If you’re a fan of vibrant fruit desserts, don’t skip this!
• Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing the other flavors. Just a teaspoon makes a world of difference, preventing the bars from tasting bland or overly sweet.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural backbone of your shortbread crust. Ensure you measure it correctly (by weight if possible, or spooned lightly into a measuring cup and leveled off) to avoid a tough dough.
• Raspberry Jam: The star of the show! The quality of your jam directly impacts the flavor of these bars. Choose a good-quality raspberry jam, ideally one with a high fruit content. For a luxuriously smooth filling, a seedless variety is highly recommended. You can also experiment with homemade raspberry jam for an even fresher taste.
• Granola: Adds an incredible crunch and a subtle nutty flavor to the topping. While store-bought granola is convenient, consider making your own Honey Almond Granola for a truly bespoke experience. Make sure to select a plain or lightly sweetened granola without dried fruit or chocolate, as these can burn or become too soft during baking.
• Sliced Almonds: These contribute a beautiful golden color and a delicate crunch to the top layer. They toast wonderfully in the oven, intensifying their nutty aroma and flavor.

Elevate Your Raspberry Bars: Using Fresh Raspberries & Homemade Jam

While a good store-bought jam works wonderfully, if you’re lucky enough to have an abundance of fresh, ripe raspberries, transforming them into homemade jam will take your Raspberry Bars to an unparalleled level of flavor. The vibrant, unadulterated taste of fresh berries concentrated into a jam is truly exceptional.

To make your own, you’ll typically need about 4 cups of fresh raspberries. A simple recipe like this old-fashioned raspberry jam can be easily adapted. When selecting fresh raspberries, look for deep, uniform color—a sign of ripeness. They should be plump and firm, free from any bruises, mold, or mushy spots. Gently handle them as they are delicate, and store them in the refrigerator, unwashed, until just before use to maintain their freshness.

Expert Tips for Baking Flawless Raspberry Bars

Achieving bakery-quality Raspberry Bars is simpler than you think with a few key techniques. Follow these expert tips to ensure your bars are perfectly baked, beautifully presented, and utterly delicious every time:

• Always Line Your Pan: This is a non-negotiable step for easy baking and cleanup. Use parchment paper and make sure to leave a generous overhang on the sides. This “sling” acts as handles, allowing you to effortlessly lift the entire slab of cooled bars out of the pan for neat cutting and serving. It also prevents sticking and ensures a clean release.
• Leave a Jam Border: When spreading the raspberry jam, be sure to leave approximately a 1/4-inch border around the edges of the dough. As the bars bake, the jam will naturally spread outwards. This small buffer prevents the jam from bubbling over the sides and caramelizing onto your pan, making cleanup easier and keeping your bars looking pristine.
• Embrace Cold Butter: Resist the urge to use softened or melted butter in your shortbread dough. Cold butter is essential for achieving that classic tender, crumbly shortbread texture. It helps create small pockets of air and steam as it melts in the oven, contributing to a light and crisp crust. Melted butter, conversely, would result in a dense, greasy base.
• Do Not Overmix the Dough: Once you add the flour, mix the shortbread dough only until it’s just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough and chewy crust rather than the desired delicate and crumbly texture.
• Cool Completely Before Slicing: Patience is a virtue, especially with baked goods like these! It’s crucial to let the Raspberry Bars cool down completely, preferably at room temperature on a wire rack, until they are fully firm. Attempting to slice them while warm will result in a sticky, crumbly mess, as the jam will still be too soft and the shortbread too delicate.
• Achieve Clean Cuts: For perfectly neat and defined squares or rectangles, employ the warm knife trick. Warm a sharp chef’s knife under hot running water, wipe it dry, then make your cut. Repeat this process for each slice. The warm blade glides through the jam and crust effortlessly, preventing tearing and smudging.
• Don’t Forget to Preheat: Always preheat your oven thoroughly before placing the bars inside. This ensures even baking from the start and helps the shortbread crust develop its golden color and crisp texture properly.
• Check for Doneness: The bars are ready when the top is golden brown and the almonds are nicely toasted. If you’re unsure, a gentle touch to the center should feel mostly set, though a slight give is normal due to the jam.

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5 from 4 votes

Raspberry Bars Recipe

By
Chelsea Lords

This Raspberry Bars Recipe delivers a delightful mix of buttery shortbread, vibrant raspberry jam, and a satisfyingly crunchy almond-granola layer – a truly irresistible dessert!

Prep Time:
25 minutes

Cook Time:
40 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 5 minutes

Yields:
24 bars (1 9×13-inch pan)

Video Overview

Equipment

• 9 x 13-inch baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Stand mixer or hand mixer
• Cooling rack

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups unsalted butter cold, 3 sticks, see note 1
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large lemon optional, for zest
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups (15 ounces) raspberry jam see note 2
• 1-1/3 cups granola without dried fruit, see note 3
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds see note 4

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring there’s an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the baked bars. This will make lifting and slicing much simpler.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), beat the cold unsalted butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until the mixture is light and creamy. Remember to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure everything is well combined. Incorporate the vanilla extract, the zest from one lemon (if you’re using it for that bright flavor boost), and the salt, mixing until just combined. Gradually add the flour and mix on low speed until the ingredients are just combined and form a thick, cohesive dough. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough shortbread.
3. Take a little over half of the prepared dough and press it evenly into the bottom of your parchment-lined baking pan. Use your fingers or the back of a spoon to create a compact and level crust. Next, gently spread the raspberry jam evenly over this dough layer, making sure to leave approximately a 1/4-inch border around all the edges. This prevents the jam from bubbling over during baking.
4. Now, add the granola to the remaining dough mixture and mix gently until it’s well incorporated. This creates your crunchy topping. Take small, irregular pieces of this granola-dough mixture and drop them over the raspberry jam layer. Don’t worry about perfect coverage; the scattered pieces will create a beautiful, rustic, and crunchy top. Finally, sprinkle the sliced almonds evenly over the entire top layer.
5. Transfer the pan to your preheated oven and bake for 42–45 minutes, or until the top crust is beautifully golden brown and the almonds are nicely toasted. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This cooling step is critical: the bars need to fully set and firm up before you attempt to cut them, otherwise, they will be too soft and messy.
6. Once completely cool, use the parchment paper overhang to gently lift the entire slab of bars out of the baking pan. Transfer it to a clean cutting board. For clean, neat slices, warm a sharp knife under hot water, wipe it dry, and then slice the bars into desired squares or rectangles. Repeat warming and drying the knife for each cut. Enjoy these delightful bars soon after making them, as the jam tends to soften the shortbread over time.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Butter Quality Matters: The secret to truly exceptional shortbread lies in the butter. Using high-quality, cold unsalted butter will yield a wonderfully soft and tender texture. While a stand mixer can handle cold butter with ease, if you’re using a hand mixer, you might need to exert a bit more effort to cream it properly.

Note 2: Jam Selection: A good-quality jam genuinely makes a significant difference in the flavor of these bars. Feel free to use your favorite flavor—strawberry, blueberry, or even apricot would be delicious. For those who prefer a smoother, more refined filling, opt for a seedless jam.

Note 3: Granola Choices: Almost any type of granola works well for the topping, provided it doesn’t contain dried fruit or chocolate, which can either burn or become overly soft during the baking process. Simple, plain, or honey-nut granolas are excellent choices.

Note 4: Almond Alternatives: Standard sliced almonds are fantastic for a classic taste and texture. However, for an extra layer of indulgence, I’ve successfully made these bars with honey-roasted almonds, which added an incredible depth of flavor and crunch. Feel free to experiment with other nuts like chopped pecans or walnuts for a different profile.

Storage: Keep cooled Raspberry Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-3 days. They are most delicious and have the best texture within the first day or two, before the jam starts to soften the shortbread. To freeze, wrap individual bars tightly in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Note that the texture may become slightly softer after freezing and thawing.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1serving
|
Calories: 206kcal
|
Carbohydrates: 23.4g
|
Protein: 2.3g
|
Fat: 11.8g
|
Cholesterol: 30.7mg
|
Sodium: 103.4mg
|
Fiber: 1.6g
|
Sugar: 9.7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximation only.

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