Description
Buttery jam crumb bars make the BEST cookie bars! Filled with jam and drizzled with vanilla glaze, you’ll love these easy crumb bars.
Ingredients
Crust & Crumbs
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 Tbsp sliced almonds
Filling
- 3/4 cup berry jam (or favorite jam)
Glaze
- 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Whisk together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and almond extract in a large bowl until combined.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; add to butter mixture and fold in until incorporated. Set aside 3/4 cup of dough for topping, mixing in sliced almonds until mixture is crumbly. Chill until ready to use.
- Press remaining dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake crust for 14 to 16 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
- Place jam in a small bowl and microwave for 10 seconds; whisk to loosen. Spread jam evenly over cooled crust and crumble reserved dough over jam layer.
- Bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, or until topping is golden and filling slightly bubbly. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
- For the glaze, whisk together melted butter, salt, vanilla, powdered sugar, and milk in a small bowl. Drizzle glaze over cooled bars and let set. Carefully lift parchment and place bars on a cutting board; cut into squares with a sharp knife.
Notes
The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products I use and love!
Larger Batch: For a larger batch of crumb bars, double the recipe and bake in a 9 x 13-inch rectangular baking pan.
Freeze Crumb Bars: To freeze crumb bars, let cool completely. Once cooled, place the unglazed bars on a baking sheet and freeze flat for 1 hour. Transfer bars to an airtight container and freeze up to 8 weeks. Thaw bars overnight in the refrigerator and glaze before serving.
Keywords: Crumb Bars, Streusel Bars, Bar Cookies, Holiday Cookies