Almond Bars are tender, evenly sweetened shortbread-like bars which might be so good, you’ll end up doubling the recipe each single time you make them.

The bars are topped with sliced almonds and an almond glaze – completely nobody can resist these Almond Bars!

That is the last word vacation deal with for snacking, dessert tables, and for gifting! My associates and neighbors have been recognized to depart not-so-subtle hints on Instagram and Facebook once they see that I’m making these bars.

The primary time I used to be handed a Scandinavian Almond Bar, I had no thought what to anticipate. My aunt Judy was the one that first launched me to those heavenly bars and he or she is splendidly proficient within the kitchen.

Almond Bars

I imagined they’d be good. Nevertheless, I had no concept that something could possibly be THAT good.

Thanks. Thanks. Thanks, Aunt Judy, from the underside of my coronary heart. There’s nothing else I bake that’s as regularly requested as these Almond Bars.

I quadruple the recipe virtually each time I make them, in order that I’ve loads of them to present away.

I’ve seen variations of this recipe in a few totally different cookbooks through the years, however these stay merely Almond Bars for me. And I’ve since shared a recipe for gluten free Almond Bars as nicely.

Can You Freeze Almond Bars?

Depart the bars on the wire rack till the icing is agency sufficient to deal with. These bars retailer fairly nicely within the freezer. I can often match 2 dozen in a gallon dimension Ziploc bag, with a sheet of wax paper separating the layers.

If you end up able to eat them, simply set them on the counter about half an hour beforehand. I usually plate them whereas they’re nonetheless frozen as a result of they’re simpler to deal with that approach.

Through the years, Almond Bars haven’t solely develop into one of the crucial requested recipes I make; they’re additionally one of the crucial well-liked recipes on this web site all through the vacation season.

I really like seeing all of you make them and share my happiness over them. So, be at liberty to tag me on social and share the enjoyable!

Almond Bars are good on their very own or with a cup of coffee, tea, or cocoa. All of my guys cheer once they see me making them and some years in the past, for the primary time, my oldest son made them totally on his personal.

If these Almond Bars are already successful in your home, odds are good that you simply’ll get pleasure from these Cinnamon Pecan Shortbread Bars too.

How To Make Almond Bars

Kitchen Tip: I exploit this mixer (or this mixer), this pan, and this whisk to make this recipe.

For a quadrupled recipe: The batch will match, simply barely into the bowl of my Kitchenaid mixer. The bars will fill two half dimension baking sheets. (roughly 18″x13″) I lower them into 36 bars every, for a complete of 6 dozen bars.

Facet observe: Once I’m quadrupling the bar recipe, I double (as an alternative of quadrupling) the components for the icing and I often have icing remaining.

A single recipe is made in a 9×13 pan, a doubled recipe will fill a baking sheet pan, and a quadruple batch fills two sheet pans. (Amazon sells the sheet pans in a two pack. I extremely suggest choosing up two, as a result of when you’ve tried these bars, you’ll by no means need to make a small batch once more.)

Almond Bar Recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 325 levels. Sift collectively the flour, baking powder and salt and put aside. Cream collectively the butter and the sugar. Add the egg and the almond extract after which combine till mild and fluffy. Slowly add the flour combination to the butter combination. Combine till mixed.
2. Press the dough into the underside of a well-greased 9×13 pan. For this recipe, I truly grease with butter as an alternative of Baker’s Pleasure. Press together with your fingers or a pastry curler to clean the highest of the dough.
3. Utilizing a pastry brush, brush a tiny little bit of milk throughout the highest of the dough. Sprinkle with sliced almonds and really evenly press them into the highest of the dough.
4. Bake for 18-20 min, or till simply barely starting to brown across the edges. Don’t allow them to truly brown in any respect. In the event that they brown, they are going to be rather more crunchy than desired, as soon as they cool. The aim is a really mushy shortbread texture.
5. Allow them to cool within the pan for five minutes after which lower into bars. If they’re too mushy to chop, allow them to cool for a couple of extra minutes. Take away them fastidiously (they are going to be fairly mushy) to a wire rack to chill fully earlier than icing. Resist the urge to eat them now. They’re even higher when they’re iced.
6. Put together the icing, including only a tiny little bit of milk at a time. If the consistency is just too thick, it received’t drizzle properly over the bars. Whether it is too skinny, the icing will simply soften into the bars. If you’re uncertain, check a little bit of it on the sting of 1 bar earlier than drizzling the icing over your entire batch.

{recipe initially posted 6-19/2011 – recipe notes and pictures up to date 4/2/21}