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Almond Crumb Bars

December 7, 2020 by Heather Smoke 4 Comments

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It’s Day 7 of my 12 Days of Christmas Cookies Series! Nothing says Christmas to me like almond pastry, and these buttery almond crumb bars with almond paste filling are everything I want in an almond dessert. The shortbread base is rich and cookie-like, and a simple filling of sweet almond paste delivers the most delicious almond flavor. Topped off with crumble topping, they’re simply irresistible.

Looking for more recipes like this? Don’t miss these brownie shortbread bars with ganache, cranberry almond bars, and classic English toffee.

Almond crumb bars with a cup of coffee.

This site contains affiliate links.  As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.  This means that I may make a small commission if you purchase a product using those links.  This in no way affects my opinion of those products and services.  All opinions expressed on this site are my own.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Simple Pantry Ingredients. This easy recipe only has 7 ingredients, so these are quick to make.

Perfect for Almond Lovers. These are big on almond flavor! If you love almond pastries, you’re going to love these almond crumb bars.

Delicious Christmas Gifts. If you’re giving these almond crumb bars away as gifts, they look especially pretty wrapped in a strip of wax paper and tied with baker’s twine. These almond bars make a delicious addition to a Christmas cookie box! And they’re just as great for breakfast as they are for dessert, accompanied by a strong cup of hot coffee.

Almond crumb bars tied with twine.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

  • All-Purpose Flour. Provides structure to the dough.
  • Granulated Sugar. Sweetness.
  • Coarse Kosher Salt. Salt balances the sugar, and adds a great salty-sweet finish in the crumb topping.
  • Cardamom. A little cardamom nicely enhances the almond paste, and is a traditional spice to use in Scandinavian pastries and almond desserts. If you don’t like cardamom, you can substitute with cinnamon or nutmeg, or simply leave it out.
  • Vanilla Extract. Use a good-quality vanilla extract for the best flavor.
  • Unsalted Butter. Richness and moisture. Butter is a key ingredient in shortbread recipes.
  • Almond Paste. The almond paste (not almond pastry filling) is sweet, and makes a simple, but perfect filling for these almond crumb bars.
Almond crumb bars wrapped in wax paper and twine.

Instructions

Make the Shortbread Crust.

  • Preheat the oven to 350, and line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over sides a little.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Drizzle with the vanilla extract.
  • Add the butter, and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until moist and crumbly.
  • Dump the dough crumbs into the prepared pan (reserving 1 cup of the crumbs for the topping), and press firmly against the bottom of the pan.

Add the Filling and Topping.

  • Crumble the almond paste with your hands, and sprinkle it evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbs over the almond paste.

Bake.

  • Bake the almond bars on the center oven rack for about 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
  • Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely before lifting the bars out by the parchment paper and cutting into bars.
Almond crumb bars filled with almond paste.

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store these bars?

These almond bars should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Or, they can be wrapped well and frozen for 3-6 months.

Can I use almond pastry filling instead of almond paste?

This recipe for almond bars uses almond paste as a filling between the shortbread crust and the crumb topping. So let’s discuss what almond paste is, and how it differs from almond pastry filling. You’ll find both on the baking aisle at your grocery store, and while they both contain almonds, they are very different products and are not interchangeable in recipes.

  • Almond Pastry Filling. Very sweet, with a thinner jam-like consistency that’s easily spread. Use it as a filling for cakes, pastries and cookies. A little goes a long way as it is very sweet.
  • Almond Paste. Sweet and coarse, with a moist, crumbly, stiff texture that’s not spreadable. Crumble and sprinkle it over batter, dough or pastry to use as a filling in pies and cakes. If leftover almond paste dries out in the package, you can still use it by grating it or chopping it up in a food processor, and then re-hydrate it with a little water.
Almond crumb bars with a cup of coffee.

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Favorite Products


Did you love today’s recipe? Please rate the recipe and let me know in the comments what you thought! Also, be sure to follow Curly Girl Kitchen on Instagram, and tag me when you try one of my recipes so I can see all your delicious creations!

Almond crumb bars with a cup of coffee.

Almond Crumb Bars

Heather Smoke
Buttery shortbread crumb bars, filled with sweet almond paste.

All recipes on Curly Girl Kitchen are developed for high altitude at 5,280 feet. See FAQs for adjusting to higher or lower elevations.

5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 35 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings10

Ingredients
 

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¾ tsp coarse Kosher salt (if using table salt, use half the amount)
  • ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, or 1/8 tsp ground cardamom
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup cold, unsalted butter, diced
  • 8 oz almond paste (not almond pastry filling)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350, and line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper, so that the paper hangs over sides a little.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Drizzle with the vanilla extract.
  • Add the butter, and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until moist and crumbly.
  • Dump the dough crumbs into the prepared pan (reserving 1 cup of the crumbs for the topping), and press firmly against the bottom of the pan.
  • Crumble the almond paste with your hands, and sprinkle it evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crumbs over the almond paste.
  • Bake the almond bars on the center oven rack for about 30-35 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
  • Set the pan on a cooling rack and cool completely before lifting the bars out by the parchment paper and cutting into bars.

Notes

Leftover cookie bars should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.  They can also be wrapped and frozen for 3-6 months.
Keyword Almond, Cookie Bars, Shortbread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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Filed Under: Brownies and Bars

Previous Post: « Soft and Chewy Salted Vanilla Caramels
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth

    March 30, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    5 stars
    These look so good, I cannot wait to make them!

    Reply
  2. Sandra

    December 19, 2021 at 2:47 pm

    Hi, I would love to bake these but I am not in a high altitude area. Would I have any problems with the outcome?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Heather Smoke

      December 19, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      Sandra, great question! This recipe will work at any altitude.

      Reply
      • Sandra Hussey

        December 20, 2021 at 7:45 pm

        Thank you for getting back to me. I will let you know how they turn out. Thanks again!!

        Reply

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