If you love almonds, you will adore these easy cookie bars. They get an extra burst of flavor from amaretto, an almond liqueur. If you are a chocolate fanatic, try sprinkling 1 cup of dark chocolate chips over the filling before sprinkling with the almonds. These are amazingly simply to make.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 24 to 36 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks or 16 Tablespoons) ice cold butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup powdered confectioners' sugar
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
- 4 eggs, slightly beaten
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1/3 cup amaretto (almond) liqueur
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup sliced almonds
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9- x 13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil.
Place butter, salt, powdered sugar, and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. Pulse until a soft dough forms. Do not over-process.
Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 F.
Place remaining 1/4 cup of flour, eggs, granulated sugar, amaretto, and almond extract in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour evenly over the baked crust and sprinkle with almonds.
Bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until filling is firm. Cool to room temperature. Lift cookie bars out on the foil and cut to desired size to serve.
Yield: 24 to 36 bar cookies, depending on cut size
Almond Amaretto Bars Recipe Photo © 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Place butter, salt, powdered sugar, and 2 cups of the flour into a food processor. Pulse until a soft dough forms. Do not over-process.
Press dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 325 F.
Place remaining 1/4 cup of flour, eggs, granulated sugar, amaretto, and almond extract in a large bowl. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour evenly over the baked crust and sprinkle with almonds.
Bake an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until filling is firm. Cool to room temperature. Lift cookie bars out on the foil and cut to desired size to serve.
Yield: 24 to 36 bar cookies, depending on cut size
Almond Amaretto Bars Recipe Photo © 2010 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
