Description
These Raspberry Streusel Shortbread Bars combine a buttery, tender shortbread base with a sweet and tangy raspberry jam filling, topped with a crumbly cinnamon streusel and a crumble of shortbread dough. Perfect for dessert or a sweet snack, they bake to a golden finish with a delightful balance of textures and flavors.
Ingredients
Shortbread Base and Top Layer
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Raspberry Filling
- 1 cup raspberry jam (seedless preferred)
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare 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 for easy removal of the bars later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using a hand or stand mixer until the mixture is light and fluffy, which usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Add Vanilla and Dry Ingredients: Mix in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the 2 cups of flour and salt, mixing gently until just combined to form a dough. Avoid overmixing to keep the shortbread tender.
- Form the Base: Press about two-thirds of the shortbread dough evenly into the prepared pan to create the base layer, ensuring it is compact and even.
- Spread Raspberry Jam: Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the shortbread base, covering it completely but not pressing it into the crust.
- Make the Streusel: In a separate bowl, combine the 1/2 cup 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 Streusel Layer: Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the raspberry jam layer.
- Add Remaining Dough Crumbles: Crumble the remaining shortbread dough over the streusel layer to form the top crust. Spread the crumbles gently and evenly across.
- Bake the Bars: Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the raspberry jam is bubbly, indicating it is cooked through.
- Cool and Cut: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out via the parchment overhang and cutting into 12 bars.
Notes
- For seedless raspberry jam, strain the jam through a sieve to remove seeds if preferred.
- Make sure the butter for the streusel topping is cold for the best crumbly texture.
- Cooling the bars fully before cutting helps keep the layers intact.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
