Raspberry Crumb Bars with Almonds

Square raspberry bar topped with an icing drizzle on a marble background.

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Raspberry Crumb Bars with Almonds

These nutty raspberry crumb bars are the perfect blend of tangy and sweet. Made with frozen raspberries, sliced almonds, and a handful of baking staples.

Prep Time15

Cook Time50

Chill Time2

Total Time1 5

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: bars (2-inch bars)

Calories: 237kcal

Author: Cassidy Reeser, MS, RD

Equipment

8x8-inch baking dish
Parchment Paper optional

Ingredients

Shortbread

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter sliced; butter should be cold!
1 cup all purpose flour spooned and leveled into measuring cup
¼ cup granulated sugar
pinch table salt

Raspberry Filling

2 cups (1 pound) frozen raspberries see notes for fresh
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice from ½ large lemon
lemon zest from one medium lemon
1 heaping tablespoon corn starch (roughly 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon)
½ teaspoon almond extract optional

Crumb Topping

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter melted
⅓ cup granulated sugar
⅓ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

Drain the Frozen Raspberries

If using frozen raspberries: Transfer the frozen raspberries to a fine mesh sieve. Let thaw in the sieve for at least one hour, stirring a few times to help the raspberries drain. This is an important step to thicken up the raspberry filling.
After draining the raspberries, preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with parchment paper or grease well with butter.

Make the Shortbread Crust

To a mixing bowl, add 1 stick sliced cold butter, 1 cup flour, ¼ cup sugar, and a pinch of salt. Use a pastry cutter, forks, or your fingers to cut the butter into small pieces, until the mixture resembles medium crumbs.
Pat the crust into the parchment paper paper lined pan. It will be quite dry and crumbly but should hold together enough to pat into the pan. Bake on the middle oven rack at 350F for 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is golden around the edges and starting to puff up. It won't be 100% cooked through.

Raspberry Filling & Crumb Topping

While the shortbread bakes, prepare the raspberry filling. In another mixing bowl, stir together 16 ounces of drained raspberries, ¼ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, lemon zest, 1 heaping tablespoon corn starch, and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
Make the crumble topping in another bowl by mixing together 1 cup of flour, 1 stick (½ cup) melted butter, ⅓ cup sugar, and ⅓ cup sliced almonds. It should have a crumbly texture.

Assemble & Bake

Spread the raspberry filling onto the shortbread crust, then crumble the almond topping across the top.
Bake at 350F for 35-40 minutes, or until the crumb topping is golden and the raspberry filling is no longer jiggling when shaken.
Let cool at room temperature for an hour before transferring to the fridge to cool completely. Drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze once fully cooled. Slice and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Raspberries: One pound (16 ounces) is equal to roughly 2 cups of raspberries. Fresh raspberries also work but will have a less jammy texture.
These bars can be made with almond extract and almonds.
To freeze, let cool completely then slice and freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Nutrition