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Enjoy the perfect blend of sweet and nutty with our Almond Raspberry Bars recipe. Featuring a buttery shortbread base, raspberry filling, and a hint of almond, these bars are a crowd-pleaser for any occasion.

Almond Raspberry Bars are a delightful dessert combining the richness of shortbread with the zesty sweetness of raspberry, making it a perfect treat that’s simple enough for beginners but delicious enough to impress even the seasoned bakers.

What makes these raspberry almond bars such a great dessert?

It’s all in the balance of flavors and textures. The buttery shortbread forms a golden brown base and crumble topping, while the raspberry filling adds a burst of freshness to every bite. A drizzle of sweet glaze and a sprinkle of sliced almonds bring it all together.

closeup of an almond raspberry bar on a table

You may also love our cherry pie bars!

About these Almond Raspberry Bars:

Flavor: Rich and buttery shortbread crust and crumb topping with a sweet & tangy raspberry filling. You’ll love the combination of sweet almond flavor and raspberry, which complement each other well.
Texture: Crumbly shortbread paired with smooth, gooey fruit pie filling. The sliced almonds on top give a little bit of crunch.
Method: This bakes in a square baking pan. You’ll mix the crust and bake the crust for 12 minutes, then top the bars with filling and bake again. This ensures that the crust gets fully cooked.

Ingredients

A few notes about the simple ingredients for these easy raspberry bars:

Flour. Need gluten free? Replace all-purpose flour with equal measurements of King Arthur All Purpose Gluten Free Flour. Then add an additional 2 tablespoons of melted butter to the dough as well.
Pie filling. This recipe features raspberry, but you can use any flavor you’d like. Blueberry, strawberry, cherry and peach are excellent! You can also make your own homemade apple pie filling to use.
Almond extract. Almond extract adds to the brightness of the flavor.

How to Make Almond Raspberry Bars

Prepare by preheating the oven to 350ºF. Line an 8×8″ square baking dish with parchment paper. This allows you to easily remove the bars and get nice clean slices.

Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Add in the melted butter, egg, and almond extract. Mix together until you have a crumbly dough. Set aside 1 cup of crust dough.
Bake the buttery crust: Press the remaining shortbread dough into an even layer in the prepared pan. Prick crust all over with a fork. Bake the crust for the first time in the preheated oven for 12 minutes.
Assemble the bars and bake: Spread the pie filling over the baked crust, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved crust dough crumbles over the top. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top. Press down on the toppings with a light hand so that bars stick together well. Bake for an additional 38-40 minutes, or just until the crumble is turning a slight golden color. Let the shortbread bars cool completely to room temperature, approximately 1 hour.
Drizzle with glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled bars.

pro tip

Remember, ovens can vary, so keep an eye on your bars as they bake to achieve that perfect color and texture.

overhead view of glazed almond raspberry bars cut into squares

Recipe Variations

One of the joys of baking is making a recipe your own, and these Almond Raspberry Bars are no exception.

Consider using fresh raspberries mixed with a bit of sugar and cornstarch instead of the raspberry pie filling for a fresher twist.
Use raspberry preserves or seedless raspberry jam for raspberry jam bars.
For those who are gluten-sensitive, swap out the all-purpose flour with your favorite gluten-free blend.
Almond extract is a key flavor here, but vanilla extract can work in a pinch.
If almonds aren’t your nut of choice, try chopped walnuts or pecans for a different crunch.

Serving and Storing

Serve the raspberry pie bars with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream for an extra special treat.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

These bars freeze beautifully. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer-safe container in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy, let them thaw at room temperature for a few hours, and they’ll taste as fresh as the day you baked them.