Raspberry Amaretto Cookie Bars
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The most delicious raspberry amaretto cookie bars!
When you find yourself standing over a pan of cookie bars, carving off just one more sliver for a taste, it may be time for an intervention. This is an all too familiar scene between me and every crumb bar I’ve met, and that’s exactly what these cookie bars are – crumb bars in disguise.
A tart pan is an easy way to dress up the crumb bar, transforming it into a layered cookie bar that is simply irresistible. These bars have it all: a buttery crust and crumb topping with a sophisticated filling of Amaretto soaked raspberries and sweet raspberry jam for one impressive treat.
Raspberry Amaretto Cookie Bars
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 44 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 4 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Baked in a tart pan, these delicious raspberry amaretto cookie bars feature a buttery crust and crumb topping with a sweet raspberry filling!
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 cup raspberries
- 1 Tbsp Amaretto
- 6 Tbsp raspberry 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 to 14 minutes, until lightly golden and set. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes.
- While the tart bakes, combine raspberries and Amaretto in a small bowl and let stand for 20 minutes, tossing occasionally. Spread jam over cooled crust with an offset spatula, leaving a 1/4-inch border. Top with raspberries (leave any juices behind) and crumble reserved dough over filling.
- Bake for another 30 to 32 minutes, until topping is golden and filling slightly bubbly. 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.
Notes
Graham Flour: If you don’t have graham flour on hand, substitute whole wheat flour, graham cracker crumbs, or all-purpose flour.
Keywords: Raspberry, Raspberry Jam, Crumb Bars, Cookie Bars
More raspberry recipes you’ll love:
Raspberry Breakfast Pastries
Raspberry Vanilla Swirl Sheet Cake
Raspberry Almond Crumb Muffins
What Graham flour do you recommend? I tried to follow the link but it doesn’t work.
Hi Cassie! I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill in the past, but I’m not seeing it on their site now either. You can also sub in whole wheat flour, or finely crushed graham crackers. Hope that helps! 🙂
Hi, so I just attempted this dish…seemed simple enough…but I couldn’t find the Graham flour so I substitute that measurement with whole wheat flour. I noticed before I baked it that my crust seemed very dry. I went ahead and baked it anyways. I think I did something wrong as my crust is quite crummy and falls apart. I know I left the finished product in the oven a few minutes too long, but the crust was not overly brown. What do you think I did wrong? I am thinking next time to just add more butter to the crust? Not to mention, I am a total fail when it comes to baking yet I am a great cook? go figure lol
Hi Megan, the dry crust sounds off to me – I’d try the recipe again and use a total of 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (in lieu of the graham flour or substitute). Once you combine the flour mixture with the melted butter-sugar mixture, fold in until fully incorporated. The dough should hold together with large crumbles, and be easy to press into the tart pan (not dry or sandy). Here’s a similar recipe that I developed that has some visuals that may help with the crust/crumb topping: https://www.bakefromscratch.com/how-to-make-tutti-dolci-cranberry-streusel-bars/
If you try the recipe again, let us know how things turn out!
Can one use frozen raspberries?
Hi Callie, I recommend using fresh raspberries – frozen berries will release too much liquid.
WOW – this tart looks and sounds simply divine! I am pinning to make later. Happy New Year to you!
Oh Laura, you always have the most gorgeous and tempting desserts. I wouldn’t be able to stop eating these cookie bars either.
These are amazing, Laura! I love the combination of flavors. I will definitely give this a try!
Too gorgeous, Laura! <3
Love this combination!
What GORGEOUS cookie bars. I can totally relate to standing at the kitchen counter. Cutting off sliver after sliver. Calories don’t count if you don’t actually cut yourself a whole piece! 😉
Laura, these cookie bars look amazing!!! and what a great idea to bake this in a tart pan!!! beautiful, as always!!!!!
I just love how you made cookie bars in a tart pan – such a beautiful way to dress it up! I would not be able to stop at just one slice 🙂
Genuis! This is all-around genius, Laura, because I love that you used a tart pan to dress up bar cookies and the flavor profile ROCKS! The additions of graham flour (so you!) and a hint of spices along with the almond flavor from both the extract and amaretto is just divine paired with fresh red raspberries and jam. Mmm! Thanks for sharing and have a fabulous weekend!
Absolutely gorgeous! I love raspberries and can’t wait until they come in season again. Great layers!