These Blackberry Jam Shortbread Bars are one of those simple desserts… one with a simple crust and a simple topping, but also simply one of the most delicious desserts I’ve had in a long time.
I’ve been all about simple this summer. Simple salads. Simple dinners. So simple appetizers. And simple desserts. When life is busy and family time is in demand, simple is best.
I brought these Blackberry Jam Shortbread Bars to a family barbecue last weekend, and it’s a good thing I did. They were the hands-down favorite of all the desserts at the barbecue. Completely addicting, I must say.
The buttery shortbread bakes up so crisp and crumbly.
The blackberry jam is sweet and smooth and the perfect accompaniment. You don’t even miss the fact that you’re not actually eating any fresh blackberries. I could seriously dive into that ribbon of blackberry right there.
A very light dusting of powdered sugar tops it all off. Just a little bit more sweet on top of all that buttery goodness.
Most importantly, these are incredibly delicious little dessert bars. And even more important than that- they are simple to make… which is nice for the folks who don’t want to cook… or don’t like to cook… or don’t have time to cook. You can put these together rather quickly and you’ll end up with something so nice and impressive to share. Simply good.
Is it possible to make these bars “nut-free?”
Yes! The recipe calls for using a mixture of almond flour and all purpose flour to make up the shortbread crust. If you’d prefer not to use the almond flour, just use a total of 3 1/2 cups of all purpose flour and NO almond flour. Add in 2 tablespoons granulated white sugar to the shortbread dough and the other ingredients as instructed. It should make a nice substitute for the almond flour shortbread crust.
If you’re looking for more recipes to use up your blackberry jam, try these:
- Berry and Bacon Kale Salad with Blackberry Jam Vinaigrette
- How to Make Blackberry Jam
- Blackberry- Sage Thumbprints
Blackberry Jam Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup almond flour (or very finely ground almonds)
- 2¾ cups all purpose flour
- 1½ cups seedless blackberry jam
- powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray 9x13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
PREPARE THE SHORTBREAD:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to combine butter and sugars; beat until creamy. Add vanilla and salt and beat until well combined. Beat the almond flour and the all-purpose flour into the butter mixture on low speed, just until a smooth dough forms. Divide the dough in half. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or so. Press the other half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the bottom crust. Bake the crust until it is just beginning to turn light brown around the edges, about 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven.
ADD THE FILLING & TOPPING:
- Place jam into a bowl and stir very well until it is nice and smooth. Spread the jam evenly over the partially baked crust. Crumble the refrigerated shortbread dough over the jam to form a crumbled topping. Return the pan to the oven and continue baking until the topping is firm and crisp and golden in color, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar before cutting into bars.
Notes
- *Almond flour is sold in a bag (I always buy Bob's Red Mill brand). Ask your market if they carry it.
- *If you can find a jar of Smucker's brand seedless Blackberry Jam- 18 ounces- it is the perfect size for this recipe.
- *Substitute seedless raspberry or apricot jam if you wish to change up the flavors.
- *The bars will keep in a covered container at room temperature for about 1 week. Or keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were AMAZING! I used black Currant jam and everyone was very impressed. They seemed so fancy but were not that hard at all!
The shortbread crust is heavenly! I didn’t have any almonds or almond flour so I ground up walnuts instead. I think I would use a little bit more jam to get a thicker layer and cut the crust amount by a third- just my personal preference. But the flavors are divine! Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Can gluten free all purpose flour be used instead of regular all purpose flour?
I’ve not tried it with GF flour, so I’m not sure.
Hi, i’m a novice baker who has only recently gained an interest in baking. This recipe looks delicious to me and i would love to try it; one problem i have with everything i have tried is transferring from pan to cooling rack. I was wondering if you could give me any tips on how to do it smoothly with the recipe before i try it?
The pan sits on a wire rack, then you cut into bars inside the pan 🙂
The best! I took these to a bridal shower and they were a hit!
Just made these and they look amazing! Can’t wait to taste!
Just took these out of the oven. I did modify them a bit as I went along. Delicious. I used plum jam, halved the recipe, ground my own $2.99 bag of slivered almonds since almond flour is $12.00 here for a small bag!, used salted butter, added an extra 1/8 tsp of salt, and added 1/2 tsp of lemon juice to the jam. They bottom crust is on the verge of being too buttery, but that won’t stop anyone from eating them!
Thanks so much for your reply! I nearly blew it! I will search out the almond flour or grind some almonds..I know it will be worth it!!!
Made these today for a play date and they turned out delicious! I used strawberry jam (because that’s what I had on hand) and ground my own almonds for the almond flour. They had a yummy butter flavor and the crumble and jam combo is sooo tasty. Any jam would be fabulous in these. I halved the recipe and had no problems. The kids and adults alike gobbled them up.
Thanks!
Gotta try these they look so good!!!