Five Ingredient Raspberry Shortbread Bars
A Busy Day, a Sweet Treat
Alright, let me tell you—these Five Ingredient Raspberry Shortbread Bars are basically what happens when I get the baking itch, but my pantry’s running on fumes and the clock’s not exactly my friend. The first time I made these, I was staring at a handful of basics and battling an afternoon downpour that had the whole dog-walking schedule out of whack. But somehow, these bars came together, and now they’re the thing my neighbor asks for in her Christmas cookie swap. (Also, my cousin once called them “scone squares,” and, honestly, he wasn’t totally wrong.)
Why You’ll Love This, Seriously
I make these when the craving for something buttery and sweet hits, and I don’t want to fuss. My family goes absolutely bonkers for these because they’ve got that crumbly, rich thing going—not too sweet, but just sweet enough. (My youngest will try to eat the corner pieces first, every single time.) Plus, let’s be real: with only five ingredients, life’s a breeze. No weird syrups or fussy spices. I used to find shortbread daunting—flour all over the place, and half the dough stuck to my fingers—but once I realized you just squish it together and trust the process, everything got simpler.
What You’ll Need (And a Few Cheats)
- 2 cups plain flour (all-purpose is fine, though I did once use half wholewheat, by accident, and—surprise!—it wasn’t bad)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed (but if I’m being lazy, I use salted and just skip the pinch of salt)
- 1/2 cup sugar (my grandmother insisted on caster sugar, but truthfully granulated works if that’s what you’ve got lurking in the cupboard)
- 1 cup raspberry jam (homemade is obviously amazing, but heck, store-bought is what I reach for nine times out of ten. Sometimes I blend it smooth—but the seeds don’t bug me at all!)
- 1/4 tsp salt (unless you went with salted butter, of course. See above!)
Optional: If you want to get fancy, a splash of vanilla extract (about 1 tsp), but that’s the sixth ingredient and slightly breaking the spirit here, isn’t it?
How It All Comes Together
- Line an 8×8 inch pan with parchment. Or, if you ran out like I did last time, foil. Not ideal, but hey—it works. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Trust me, don’t skip this. Cold oven = wonky shortbread.
- In a mixing bowl, rub the cold butter into the flour, sugar, and salt. (Hands work best, even if it feels like a bit of a mess. This is also the point where my dog tries to supervise.) You’ll end up with a crumbly, sandy looking mixture. If you’ve tried scone dough, it’s sorta like that. Don’t worry if it looks a bit weird at this stage—it always does!
- Press about two-thirds of the dough into the bottom of your prepared tin. Use your knuckles or a measuring cup. You want it snug, but not packed so tight it can’t breathe.
- Spread the raspberry jam over the base, almost right to the edge. (Okay, confession: I always eat a bit with the spoon first. Quality control, right? Use a silicone spatula if you want to get fancy, but the back of a regular spoon is my go-to.)
- Crumble the remaining dough on top. You don’t need perfection—random clumps are good. I kind of enjoy that rustic bake-off look. And then…well, pop it all in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top’s just turning golden at the edges. Don’t go by smell alone—I once ended up with charcoal corners.
- Let it cool, if you can stand the wait. If you try to slice it early, it’ll make a crumbly mess. (Not that I wouldn’t eat the scraps, but…) I usually make tea while this happens, though one time I got distracted and it turned into cold coffee. Such is life.
Little Lessons I’ve Learned
- Actually, I find it works better if you don’t overmix the dough. The more you play with it, the tougher it gets. So, just bring it together—don’t knead it.
- If your jam looks runny, don’t panic. It’ll firm up as the bars cool. Well, most of the time.
- My friend Sarah freezes them “for school lunch emergencies.” I tried that once, but mine just kept vanishing from the freezer. (Maybe ghosts? Or my husband.)
If You Want to Mix Things Up (Some Wins and a Fail)
- I once swapped raspberry for apricot jam and added some chopped pecans to the crumble—that’s a winner if you like it nutty.
- Lemon curd instead of jam? Did it once, but honestly, it just made everything a bit… gooey. Not my best idea, but I had to try!
- A handful of coconut in the topping is tasty, especially if you like that old-school bake-sale style.
Tools You’ll Need (Or Improvise!)
- Mixing bowl (though I’ve definitely used a large soup pot in a pinch—no rules!)
- 8×8 inch baking tin. Or even a round cake tin if that’s what’s on hand. Shapes don’t matter here.
- Parchment paper is helpful, but see above for my foil trick. Greasing the tin works too, but you might need to dig your bars out with a spatula.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, your hands are the best tool anyway. Less washing up.
How to Store (If They Last That Long)
These bars keep for about 3 days in an airtight tin at room temperature. (Though honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day!) Fridge will stretch that by a couple more days, but the texture might get a bit firmer. Or try freezing—as mentioned above—if you’ve got any self-control at all.
How I Like to Serve Them
Cut them into generous squares and dust with icing sugar if you’re feeling fancy. My family dunks them in tea, but I think they’re killer with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a proper sunny day. At holidays, we stack them high, Jenga-style, next to the coffee. Just a tradition I accidentally started, but now it’s expected.
Some Pro Tips (Aka Things I’ve Messed Up)
- Don’t rush the cooling. Seriously. I once tried slicing them warm, in a fit of impatience, and wound up with a crumbling heap—not cute.
- If you use too much jam, it’ll bubble up and get a bit sticky at the edges. Still tasty, but, well, you’ll know for next time.
- I don’t bother with fancy sugar, but I once tried brown sugar in the base—changed the flavor completely. Interesting, but it’s not the bar I love.
What Folks Actually Ask Me
- Do I really need cold butter? (Yep! Cold’s best—it helps the shortbread stay crumbly. But if your butter’s gone soft, just stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes.)
- Can I use other fruit spreads? (Totally! Blueberry, strawberry, even fig jam. Though I once tried marmalade, and, eh, wouldn’t recommend unless you like things on the bitter side.)
- How do I get clean slices? (Honestly, sometimes I don’t. But if appearance matters: cool completely, wipe your knife between cuts, and go slow.)
- Any shortcut for mixing? (A food processor works a treat—just don’t blitz it into dust. Or dive in with your hands, you’ll get a feel for it.)
- Can I double the batch? (Yup! Use a 9×13 inch pan and maybe tack on a few extra minutes of baking. But keep a sneaky bit for yourself, just in case.)
Because you’re here, you probably like simple bakes. I sometimes browse Sally’s Baking Addiction for inspiration—and if you’re hunting for fancier shortbread, BBC Good Food’s shortbread recipes are a treat. So, happy baking—let me know how yours turn out, unless, of course, you eat them all before remembering to snap a pic (guilty as charged).
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup raspberry jam
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions
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1Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
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2In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
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3Add the flour and salt to the butter mixture and mix until a crumbly dough forms.
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4Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the base.
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5Spread the raspberry jam evenly over the shortbread base, then sprinkle the remaining dough over the top as a crumbly layer.
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6Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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