Description
These Raspberry Streusel Shortbread Bars combine a buttery, crumbly shortbread base with a sweet and tangy raspberry jam filling, topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel and crumbled dough. Perfect for dessert or a sweet snack, these bars are easy to make and delightfully rich in texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Base:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling:
- 1 cup raspberry jam (seedless preferred)
Streusel Topping:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars later.
- Make the Shortbread Dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes using an electric mixer. Add the vanilla extract and mix to combine. Gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour and salt until the dough just comes together.
- Form the Base Layer: Reserve about one-third of the dough for the topping. Press the remaining two-thirds evenly into the prepared baking pan to create a uniform shortbread base layer.
- Spread the Raspberry Jam: Evenly spread the raspberry jam over the pressed shortbread dough, ensuring the layer covers the whole base.
- Prepare the Streusel Topping: In a separate bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon. Cut in the cold, cubed butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Assemble the Toppings: Sprinkle the streusel crumbs evenly over the raspberry jam layer. Then crumble the reserved shortbread dough over the streusel to form the top layer.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top layer is golden brown and the jam is bubbly.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the bars from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out, then cut into 12 servings.
Notes
- For easier cutting and cleaner bars, chill the baked bars in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before slicing.
- Seedless raspberry jam is preferred to avoid seeds in the bars, but any raspberry jam can be used.
- If you desire a more intense raspberry flavor, you can gently warm the jam before spreading to make it easier to spread evenly.
- Make sure the butter for the streusel is cold to achieve a crumbly texture.
