Ingredients for Raspberry Shortbread Cookie Bars with Fresh Raspberries
Just a few fridge and pantry friendly ingredients are needed to make these insanely delicious Raspberry Shortbread Cookie Bars with Fresh Raspberries and Smooth Cream Cheese Frosting.
Shortbread Crust Ingredients:
- Butter: Adds richness to the crust and creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Superfine White Sugar: Otherwise known as caster sugar or baker’s sugar, superfine sugar dissolves easily to create a smooth, sweet, and light-textured crust.
- Pure Vanilla Extract: Brings out the sweetness and adds a depth of flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure and base for the shortbread crust.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the crust.
- Turbinado Sugar: Adds a crunch to the top layer of the crust.
Raspberry Filling Ingredients:
- Fresh Raspberries – Juicy, naturally sweet, and slightly tart.
- Water – Helps blend the raspberries into a smooth purée.
- Superfine Sugar – Dissolves easily for a smooth, balanced sweetness.
- Pure Vanilla Extract – Adds warmth and depth to the fruity flavor.
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Enhances brightness and balances the sweetness.
- Cornstarch – Thickens the filling for a jam-like consistency
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- Cream Cheese: Provides a creamy base for the frosting and that familiar cinnamon roll taste.
- Butter: Adds richness and a smooth, creamy texture to the frosting.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens the frosting while avoiding a grainy texture that may come with regular sugar.
- Vanilla Extract: Rounds out the flavors and makes the frosting taste amazing.
- Click here for our Easy Cream Cheese Frosting recipe!
Equipment
There are a few equipment items you’ll need to make these Raspberry Shortbread Cookie Bars. An electric mixer makes things easier but you can also mix by hand.
- 9×9-inch Baking Pan: To bake the shortbread bars.
- Mixing Bowls: At least two mixing bowls—one for the shortbread dough and one for the filling and frosting.
- Whisk: For combining dry ingredients and mixing the frosting.
- Electric/Stand Mixer (optional): To cream the butter and sugar more efficiently, though this can also be done by hand with a spoon or spatula. If using a stand mixer, opt for a paddle attachment.
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon: For mixing the dough and spreading the filling.
- Rolling Pin: To roll out the top layer of shortbread dough.
- Parchment Paper: To line the baking pan for easier removal of the bars.
- Measuring Cups and Spoons: For Measuring ingredients.
Raspberry Shortbread Cookie Bars Recipe | Made with Fresh Raspberries
These Raspberry Shortbread Cookie Bars are a delightful blend of buttery, tender shortbread and vibrant fresh raspberry filling, finished with our Easy Cream Cheese Frosting. The tartness of the raspberries perfectly complements the sweet, crumbly crust, creating an irresistible contrast of flavors and textures. With fridge and pantry friendly ingredients, these bars come together easily but will impress like a bakery-quality treat. Whether served as a dessert or just for a sweet treat, these raspberry shortbread bars are sure to be a hit at any gathering!
Equipment
- 9×9-inch Baking pan
- Parchment paper
- 3 Medium mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Electric stand Mixer
- Blender
- Spatula or Wooden Spoon
- Rolling pin
- Measuring cups and Spoons
Ingredients
Raspberry Shortbread Bars Crust Ingredients:
- 1 cup softened butter
- 3/4 cup superfine white sugar (Caster sugar)
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
Fresh Raspberry Filling:
- 3 cups fresh raspberries
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup superfine sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
Cream Cheese Frosting (click here for the recipe, a 1/2 batch is plenty for these raspberry bars)
Instructions
Shortbread Crust
- Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper.
- Cream together: In a mixing bowl, cream together 1 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup superfine white sugar, until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract mix until fully incorporated.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Press and Chill: Press about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan, reserving the remaining dough for the top layer. Refrigerate the crust for 15-30 minutes before baking.
- Par-Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 15-17 minutes, until it's very lightly golden and no longer shiny on top. Avoid baking until golden brown as we will bake again after adding the filling. Allow crust to cool slightly while prepping the filling.
Raspberry Filling
- Blend: To a blender add 3 cups fresh raspberries along with 3 tablespoons water. Blend until smooth, pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any remaining seeds and transfer the puree to a medium mixing bowl.
- Combine: To the bowl with the raspberry puree add 3/4 cup superfine sugar, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon corn starch and stir together until combined. Make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of bowl multiple times to get all the sugar fully incorporated into the raspberry filling.
- Add the Filling: Pour the raspberry filling onto the cooled-partially baked shortbread crust and spread evenly.
- Create Top Layer: Roll out the remaining shortbread dough or use your hands to create flat discs about 1/8 inch thick. Place flat clusters of dough on top of the filling to loosely form a lid. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar over the top.
- Bake: Place the assembled bars back in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. As oven temperatures can vary its best to check on the bars at the 35-40 minute mark to ensure they do not overbake.
- Cool: Allow the bars to cool to room temperature before adding the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Frost: Top the cooled bars with a half batch our Easy Cream Cheese Frosting (click here for the recipe). Serve and Enjoy!
