Fresh, fruity raspberry bars with a buttery crumb topping!
Prep Time20 minutesmins
Cook Time35 minutesmins
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: American
Keyword: raspberry
Servings: 16bars
Calories: 618kcal
Author: Sara
Ingredients
3cupsflour
1 ¾cupssugardivided
1teaspoonbaking powder
¼teaspoonsalt
¼teaspoonground cinnamon
1cupshortening
2eggs
1teaspoonalmond extract
1Tablespooncornstarch
4cupsraspberriesfresh or frozen
Vanilla ice cream for toppingoptional
Instructions
Preheat over to 375º Fahrenheit.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Next, cut shortening in with a fork until entire mixture is in large crumbs.
Stir in eggs and extract (I used my hands). This will form a dough.
Press two-thirds of the mixture into a greased 13x9 baking dish. Set remaining aside.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine remaining sugar and corn starch. Next, stir in raspberries.
Pour mixture over crust.
Finally, sprinkle remaining crust on top.
Bake for 45-48 minutes or until top begins to brown.
Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
Even Crumb Distribution: When mixing the crumb mixture, ensure that the shortening is evenly distributed to create consistent-sized crumbs. Use a fork or pastry cutter to cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This step ensures an even texture in the crumble topping and prevents large clumps from forming.
Pressing Dough: When pressing the dough into the baking dish, use your hands or a spatula to evenly spread and compact two-thirds of the mixture into the bottom of the dish. Press firmly to create a solid base for the bars. This step helps the bottom layer hold together and provides a stable foundation for the raspberry filling and remaining crumble topping.
Testing for Doneness: Bake the raspberry crumble bars for 45–48 minutes, or until the top begins to brown. To ensure they are fully cooked, insert a toothpick into the center of the bars. If it comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, the bars are ready. Avoid overbaking to prevent the bars from becoming dry. Allow the bars to cool before cutting into squares and serving with vanilla ice cream for a delicious treat.