Almond Bars

Almond Bars are a delicious cross between shortbread and sugar cookie bars, topped with sliced almonds and a sweet almond glaze. They’re crisp, yet tender and perfect for holiday cookie exchanges or neighbor gifts.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

• Serves a Crowd: These Almond Bars are made in a half sheet pan to yield 48 cookie bars! Perfect for potlucks, parties, and holidays!
• Uses Crisco instead of Butter: Crisco is ready to use as-is, which makes baking that much quicker. (No waiting for it to come to room temperature.) Plus, its high melting point ensures an even bake and tender dessert.
• Make-Ahead and Freezer Friendly: These almond bars are freezer friendly, so you can make them ahead of time, or freeze some for later.

Almond Bars

Although I usually pair almond with poppy seeds or coconut, it’s a delicious sweet flavor that stands out on its own.

These almond bars have pure almond extract in the cookie base, as well as in the glaze on top. Of course there are sliced almonds for added crunch and decoration. The taste and texture is like a cross between tender shortbread and sweet sugar cookie bars.

I used Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks to keep that buttery flavor, but ensure an even bake because of its high melting point. And there’s no need to chill the dough.

If you’re like me, you grew up cooking and baking with Crisco in your house. It can replace butter in any of your baked goods, creates light and tender desserts, and has 50% less saturated fat than butter. I prefer Crisco in my flaky pie crust and it makes the fluffiest frosting, especially on my Cookies and Cream Brownies.

Because this recipe yields a lot of almond bars we shared them with neighbors and friends. Everyone loved them! One neighbor even texted me and said, “I don’t know what these treats you brought me are, but they are freaking amazing!” Let me show you how to make them.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• All-Purpose Flour – Make sure to stir, spoon, and level when measuring with cups or use a scale to weigh it. It’s important to use the proper amount of flour for baking.
• Clabber Girl® Baking Powder – To lighten and soften the bars.
• Salt – To enhance the flavors.
• Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening Sticks – 1 baking stick = 1 cup, which is exactly what you need for this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar – To sweeten the bars.
• Eggs – To bind and add structure to the dessert.
• Pure Almond Extract – To flavor the cookie base and glaze on top.
• Milk – Any variety, to brush the top of the bars to adhere the nuts before baking, and to thin the glaze.
• Sliced Almonds – For added crunch and decoration.
• Powdered Sugar – To make the glaze.
• Baker’s Joy® Non-Stick Baking Spray – To coat the pan for easy removal of the bars after baking.

How to Make Almond Bars

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a half sheet pan (approximately 18×13-inches) with Baker’s Joy® Non-Stick Baking Spray. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, Clabber Girl® Baking Powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the Crisco® Butter Flavor All-Vegetable Shortening and granulated sugar together with an electric hand mixer until combined well.

4. Add the eggs and almond extract. Beat until combined.
5. Add half of the flour mixture. Mix until just incorporated.

6. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. (NOTE: Dough will be thick. You may want to use your hands to gently mix in any remaining flour. Do not overwork the dough.)
7. Empty the dough into the prepared pan. Use your fingers or a pastry roller to spread the dough evenly in the pan.

7. Brush milk evenly over the top of the dough with a pastry brush. Sprinkle with sliced almonds, then press them lightly into the dough.

8. Bake at 325˚F for 22-25 minutes. The dough will puff up high and then start to sink back down, and the edges will start to lightly brown. (Just don’t let it brown too much.)
9. Cool for about 5 minutes, then use a plastic (disposable) knife to cut 48 bars; 6 rows on the long (horizontal) side by 8 rows on the short (vertical) side, to create thin rectangles. (NOTE: The bars will appear underbaked, especially after cutting them while warm, but they will finish baking as they cool completely.)

10. Carefully transfer the almond bars to a wire rack placed inside of a sheet pan (to catch the glaze), leaving a little space in-between each bar. Cool completely. 
11. Once cooled, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar with the almond extract and milk in a small bowl to the desired consistency. Drizzle over the bars and allow glaze to set before eating and/or storing.

Visit Crisco.com to find more recipes, explore tips & tricks, and learn more about how Crisco can improve all the ways you bake and cook.