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Golden and buttery apricot amaretto cookie bars filled with apricot jam and dried apricots! Recipe makes 12 bars.
Summer dreams are made of apricots and Amaretto. The sweet almond liqueur is a natural fit with apricots, bringing their flavor to life. In lieu of fresh apricots (the season is oh so short), I soaked dried apricots in Amaretto and layered them over tangy apricot jam.
Nestled between a cinnamon-graham crust and crumb topping, these cookie bars are scrumptious.
Baked in a tart pan for easy elegance, the wedges evoke thoughts of buttery shortbread cookies or an apricot tart – undoubtedly the best of both worlds. Dust with powdered sugar or top with vanilla ice cream for the best dessert!
Apricot Amaretto Cookie Bars
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 2 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Golden and buttery apricot amaretto cookie bars filled with apricot jam and dried apricots! Recipe makes 12 bars.
Ingredients
Crust & Crumbs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 6 Tbsp graham flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 6 Tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp pure almond extract
Filling
- 1/2 cup dried apricots
- 2 Tbsp amaretto
- 1/3 cup apricot jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch round removable-bottom tart pan with nonstick spray.
- Whisk together flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Combine melted butter, sugars, and almond extract in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and fold in until incorporated.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of dough for topping (keep chilled); press remaining dough evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust for 12 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
- While the tart bakes, place dried apricots in a small bowl and prick with a fork; add Amaretto and let stand for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Dice apricots with a sharp knife. Spread jam over cooled crust with an offset spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with diced apricots and crumble reserved dough over filling.
- Bake for another 19 to 20 minutes, until golden. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Just before releasing from the pan, chill in the freezer for 15 minutes. Cut into bars with a sharp knife.
I grew up with an apricot tree in my backyard and used to eat my weight in them every summer. Now I live in the Southeast, and getting decent, fresh apricots is tough even in the summer. I made these and they were everything I’d hoped they’d be! So delicious.
Thanks so much, Genevieve! Happy to hear you liked these. 🙂 I have another apricot recipe coming soon that I know you’ll love too!
Every component of this looks delicious! I want a slice 🙂
Laura, these look fantastic and the photos are magazine cover worthy!
Laura – these are gorgeous. Love the flavor combination!
Beautiful! Apricots and almonds are a match made in heaven 🙂
Lovely! You know you don’t have to convince me of apricots and amaretto together. They are definitely made for each other!
Whoa! I need these in my life! Beautiful photos!
This is the perfect summer dessert! So pretty and elegant, and also bursting with summer flavor!
Oh my goodness. I’m supposed to go to sleep now and I’m just hoping I dream of these 😀
I wouldn’t be able to stop at just one wedge! I am a huge fan of apricot desserts and these bars are perfect!
P.S. My freezer pop molds arrived! Thanks so much!! xo