Delicious Jammy Raspberry Bars with Streusel

August 2, 2024 Rebecca Firth

I wanted to create an easy peasy berry-forward sweet treat that would really highlight delicious raspberries, and here we are!

These Jammy Raspberry Bars have the most delicious vanilla shortbread crust, a layer of store-bought sweet raspberry jam or preserves (unless you have some homemade jam handy!), fresh raspberries (or frozen raspberries) and my favorite blonde streusel (that I also use in these Raspberry Muffins!).

You can use any berries for these and I give you lots of tips and tricks for customizing this recipe to your preferences (think spices, lemon zest).

Enjoy the best Raspberry Cookie Bars!

A bunch of small slices of raspberry cookie bars on a white surface.

Soft, tender, buttery vanilla shortbread crust is TO DIE FOR
Minimal ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, salt, vanilla, jam and fresh raspberries (you can use frozen raspberries as well, see the Notes section below the recipe))
Crust and streusel can be made ahead of time
Super easy to assemble
Feel free to use any berry (strawberries and blackberries are both delicious)
This recipe uses the same easy ‘blonde’ streusel that’s in my Raspberry Muffins that are so popular
Super flexible recipe with a heap of recipe variations (see below for more details!)
No mixer is needed for these easy raspberry bars (but feel free to use your electric stand mixer or food processor for both the crust and the streusel if you can’t be bothered)
Delicious with vanilla ice cream for an awesome dessert

A close up of raspberry bars with streusel.

The Baker’s Guide to Measuring Flour

One of the biggest (and most common) mistakes in baking is how we measure flour. If you find yourself without a scale, see my top tips on how to properly measure flour for the perfect amount every time!

Raspberry Streusel Cookie Bars with confectioners' sugar dusted over the top.

How To Make The Best Raspberry Bars with Streusel Recipe

Below are step-by-step photos (with captions) to make THE BEST Raspberry Bars perfect every time! My biggest tips are:

Press the Shortbread Crust Evenly & Firmly into the Bottom of the Pan. You want an even and firm foundation to hold up your raspberry cookies. I like to cover the crust with plastic wrap and then use a rubber spatula or a measuring cup to press the crust evenly into the pan (see photos below).
Make Sure the Crust is Completely Cool Before Spreading it with Jam. Allowing the crust to cool completely will help form a barrier against the moisture of the jam and fruit. This will keep your crust firm.
Drain your Raspberry Preserves (or Jam) Until Thick. This step is only necessary if the jam or preserves that you’re using are watery. My favorite (US) brand to use is Bonne Maman. If you use this, there is no need to drain your preserves.
Chill the Baked Bars in the Fridge Before Cutting for Nice, Clean Cuts. I love to store these bars in the fridge (they’re so yummy chilled or *almost* at room temperature). Bonus, you will get the cleanest, sharpest cuts if you cut them when they are chilled.

Let’s make some easy raspberry bars!

For the Easy Vanilla Shortbread Crust

A baking pan covered in parchment that is held in place using clothes pins. — **STEP ONE**: Grease a 9 x 9–inch (23 x 23–cm) square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, letting the excess fall over the sides. You’ll want to cover all four sides of the pan or the raspberry filling will make it difficult to get the raspberry bars out of the pan once it cools.

The ingredients you need to make a shortbread crust in glass bowls. — **STEP TWO**: Gather your ingredients: flour, sugar, cornstarch (or more all-purpose flour), salt, butter (not pictured) and vanilla (you can use vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract).

A glass bowl with sugar, flour, corn starch and salt. — **STEP THREE**: Whisk together the flour, cornstarch (if using), sugar and salt…

Two hands and a knife showing you how to scrape vanilla seeds from the pod. — **STEP THREE**: If using vanilla bean seeds, scrape the vanilla bean seeds and add them to the dry ingredients. (*If using vanilla extract, add it when you add the butter. To learn more about using real vanilla beans, check out my **Vanilla Extract Recipe** post*.)

Flour, sugar and vanilla seeds in a bowl. — **STEP THREE**: Whisk in the vanilla bean seeds.

Flour with butter on top of it with a white background. — **STEP FOUR**: Cut the butter into the dry ingredients using your hands or a fork…

Just mixed cookie crust in a glass bowl. — **STEP FOUR**: It will look like this!

Shortbread crust in a square pan with plastic wrap over the top. — **STEP FIVE**: Pour into the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly into the bottom of the pan. Use plastic wrap and the bottom of a measuring cup to press it into the pan, this will make this step easier (the dough is sticky).

An unbaked shortbread crust. — **STEP FIVE**: It will look like this!

A vanilla shortbread crust that was just baked in a baking pan. — **STEP SIX**: Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sides are lightly bronzed. Set aside to cool completely.

For the Streusel

All of the ingredients you need for streusel in glass bowls: flour, sugar, salt and butter. — **STEP ONE**: Gather your ingredients: flour, sugar, salt and butter.

Flour, sugar and salt in a glass bowl. — **STEP TWO**: Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, sugar and salt.

Flour with butter chunks on top. — **STEP THREE**: Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, your hands or a fork until it resembles wet sand (coarse crumbs) and holds together when you press it between your fingers.

Streusel in a glass bowl on a white surface. — **STEP FOUR**: It will look like this! Stash it in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble the raspberry bars.

A shortbread cookie crust covered in jam. — **STEP ONE**: Spread the raspberry preserves in an even layer over the top of the cooled crust.

Raspberry jam and raspberries on a cookie crust. — **STEP TWO**: Top with the fresh raspberries (or defrosted frozen raspberries that have been gently patted with a towel to remove excess moisture).

Unbaked raspberry cookie bars. — **STEP THREE**: Sprinkle the chilled streusel over the top and bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes.

Raspberry bars fresh from the oven. — **STEP FOUR**: Let cool completely and chill in the fridge before cutting (see the *Notes* below recipe for more details).

Just baked Raspberry Bars in the pan. — When fresh from the oven, the top of the raspberry bars will look not quite baked through and will be soft to the touch; but they are done, I promise! As they cool the top will firm up. I love to store these cookies in the fridge and either eat them chilled (they’re really good like this!) or let them come a wee closer to room temperature. Delicious.

A bunch of raspberry cookie bars with one square with a bite out of it.

You can use any berry and fruit preserve combo that you like (blueberry, strawberry and/or blackberry to name just a few)
Use fresh fruit (or frozen). If using frozen, let it defrost on several layers of paper towels or on a clean dishcloth (that you don’t mind getting stained from the berries!) and gently pat dry to remove any excess moisture
Once the raspberry cookie bars have cooled, a drizzle with Vanilla Glaze looks especially pretty
This raspberry bar recipe is delicious as is or with confectioners’ sugar dusted over the top
Add spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom to the jam and/or the streusel topping
If you want a light or dark brown sugar streusel, check out this Streusel Topping Recipe (use the half-batch quantities listed in the Notes below that recipe)
Not really a variation, but these are DELICIOUS served with vanilla ice cream for the perfect dessert
Sprinkle with some chocolate chips for Raspberry Chocolate Bars

Three berry cookie bars on parchment paper.

My absolute favorite tools for making these delicious berry cookie bars are:

9×9-inch (23×23-cm) pan

Whisk, I love this whisk so much! The angles at the base really help you get into the corners when whisking

Bowls, these bowls are awesome

The Spatula from this set — it’s too cute!

Knife, love this chef’s knife with the white handle

A hand holding a raspberry bar with a bite out of it.

More Berry Dessert Recipes

If you have more berries to bake with, check out my favorite Raspberry Muffins and this Chocolate Pavlova with mixed berries (so good!). You can find all the Cookie Bar Recipes here.

Enjoy your delicious Raspberry Crumble Bars!

Rebecca Firth

Delicious Jammy Raspberry Bars with Streusel

These buttery Jammy Raspberry Bars with Streusel are the ultimate berry dessert! A vanilla shortbread crust is layered with sweet raspberry jam, plump fresh raspberries and finished with an easy streusel topping. This berry-forward bar cookie can be made with any fresh or frozen berries and is so delicious served with vanilla ice cream!

Course Dessert

Cuisine Bar Cookies

Keyword Raspberry, Cookie, Bars, Streusel, Shortbread Crust, Baking, Dessert, Berries

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings 16 Cookies

Author Rebecca Firth

Ingredients

For the Easy Vanilla Shortbread Crust

1 cup (135 g) all-purpose flour how to measure flour
3 tablespoons (36 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (17 g) cornstarch you can substitute this with more all-purpose flour 1:1
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 vanilla bean split and seeds scraped or 1/2 teaspoon real vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (140 g) unsalted butter room temperature

For the Blondie Streusel Topping

1/2 cup (68 g) all-purpose flour how to measure flour
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
4 tablespoons (57 g) unsalted butter room temperature and cut into 8 pieces

For the Raspberry Jam Filling

3/4 cup (240 g) raspberry preserves
6 oz (170 g) fresh or frozen raspberries this is a half pint of berries; see the Notes below regarding the use of frozen fruit

Instructions

For the Easy Vanilla Shortbread Crust

To make the crust, pre-heat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9 x 9–inch (23 x 23–cm) square pan and line it with parchment paper, letting the excess fall over the sides. Cover completely with parchment and press into the corners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cornstarch, salt and vanilla bean seeds (if using vanilla extract add with the butter). Sprinkle the butter over the flour mixture and use a pastry blender, your hands or a fork to combine until the shortbread comes together and there isn't any flour left on the bottom of the bowl.
Pour into the bottom of the prepared pan and press the dough evenly and firmly into the bottom of the pan (see the Notes below for tips on making this easier). Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the sides are a light golden brown. Set aside to cool completely.

For the Streusel

In the same bowl that you mixed the shortbread crust (no need to clean it out), whisk together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a pastry blender, your hands or a fork until it resembles wet sand (coarse crumbs) and holds together when pinched between your fingers.
Store in the fridge until ready to use. If you're storing it for longer than several hours, cover the streusel mixture to prevent it from drying out.

To Assemble the Raspberry Cookie Bars

Evenly cover the cooled crust with the raspberry preserves and then the fresh raspberries. Sprinkle the streusel over the top and then bake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes. The raspberry preserves should be bubbling and the edges of the streusel will be a light golden brown.
Let cool completely on a wire rack. To get the cleanest cuts, place the cookies in the fridge for 1 to 2 hours until chilled through. Remove from the baking pan and then cut into 16 cookie squares. See Notes below on storing these Raspberry Cookie Bars. Enjoy! xo

Notes

Jam Bar Variations

Once cool, drizzle Vanilla Glaze over the crumb bars
Add spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and/or cardamom to the jam and/or the streusel topping
If you want a brown sugar streusel, check out this Streusel Topping Recipe (use the half-batch quantities listed in the Notes below that recipe)
You can use any berry and fruit preserves combo that you like (blueberry, strawberry and/or blackberry)
You can use fresh berries (or frozen). If using the latter, defrost and drain (and pat dry) before adding to the jam.
Not really a variation, but these are DELICIOUS served with vanilla ice cream for dessert!

Storing Raspberry Cookie Bars

Store in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days with parchment paper between the layers. If hot and/or humid in your home, then keep in the fridge.

I prefer to store these cookie bars in the refrigerator. Sometimes I’ll eat them cold fresh-from-the-fridge and other times we’ll bring them closer to room temperature. They are delicious both ways!

Freezing Raspberry Bars

You can freeze these berry cookie bars, wrapped tightly and in an airtight container, for several months. Defrost the raspberry bars in the fridge overnight and then set on the counter to come closer to room temperature.

Using Frozen Berries

If using frozen raspberries, set them on top of several layers of paper towels (or a clean dishcloth) and let thaw completely. Pat dry if any moisture remains on the berries.

If using a dishcloth, make sure you don’t mind some staining…because, berries!

Jams/Preserves

As noted above, you can use any jam/preserves and berry combo that you’d like. Just make sure the jam/preserves are not runny.

If they are, you’ll need to strain them with a fine-mesh sieve so they don’t make your shortbread crust soggy.

How to Expedite Cooling Your Raspberry Bars

I get impatient waiting for the bottom crust to cool so I let it cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes and then I set it in the fridge for another 20 to 30 minutes before proceeding with the recipe.

Otherwise, you’ll need to allow more time before you add the jam, raspberries and streusel before the second bake.

I would argue that this is what makes this an awesome bake-ahead recipe! Make up the crust (and streusel) one day and then do the final bake the next day. Winning.

The post Delicious Jammy Raspberry Bars with Streusel appeared first on DisplacedHousewife.

Bye!