Almond Jam Bars with Sweet Glaze
Buttery almond jam bars with golden edges, a fruity jam filling and a drizzle of sweet glaze.
These buttery almond jam bars are adapted from a recipe in Martha Stewart’s Cookie Perfection. Made with almond paste, a ribbon of fruit jam and a simple sweet glaze, they bake up with lightly crisp edges and tender centres. Choose raspberry, apricot or blackberry jam, then slice the cooled logs into cookies for a holiday baking tray or an afternoon cup of tea.
Buttery Almond Bars with Jam
Almond paste gives these glazed cookie bars a rich almond flavour, while a ribbon of fruit jam adds sweetness to each slice. The edges bake up lightly crisp, with a tender centre beneath the filling.
One Dough, Your Favourite Jam
Raspberry brings a little tartness, while apricot gives a mellow fruit flavour. Use whichever you enjoy. Chilling the dough makes the logs easier to shape, and letting them cool completely helps keep the slices neat.
A Sweet Addition to the Cookie Tray
Serve these almond jam bars with afternoon tea, pack them for a cookie exchange or add them to your holiday baking. Let the glaze set before arranging them on a platter—they’re easier to handle that way.
How To Make Almond Jam Bars
Making the Almond Cookie Dough
A food processor brings the almond jam bar dough together quickly. Pulse just until combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed. Once the flour is added, avoid overmixing to keep the cookies tender.
Shaping the Almond Jam Bar Dough
The dough may look crumbly at first. Gently press it together by hand, then divide it into four equal portions. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes so it’s easier to roll into logs without sticking.
Shaping and Filling Almond Jam Bars
Roll the chilled almond dough into even logs, then gently flatten them. After the first bake, press a shallow groove down each centre and spoon in the jam. Keep the filling inside the grooves so it doesn’t spill onto the baking sheet.
Cool Before Glazing and Slicing
Let the baked almond jam bars cool completely before adding the glaze. The cookie logs firm up as they cool, making them easier to slice without crumbling. The berry and apricot fillings add a lovely splash of colour to a cookie tray.
Kitchen Tip: Stir the Jam Before Filling
Stir thick jam in a small bowl to loosen it before filling your almond jam bars. It’s easier to spoon evenly into the grooves without pressing on the delicate, partially baked dough.
Almond Jam Bars with Sweet Glaze
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- food processor
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Rolling Pin
- plastic wrap
- wire cooling rack
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- spoon or wooden spoon handle
- serrated knife
Ingredients
Almond Cookie Dough
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour spooned and levelled, plus extra for dusting
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup almond paste
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 large eggs
Jam Filling
- ½ cup apricot blackberry or raspberry jam
Sweet Glaze
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 4 teaspoons whole milk
Instructions
Make the Almond Cookie Dough
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- In a food processor, pulse the almond paste and granulated sugar until finely crumbled. Add the softened butter and eggs, then process until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Add the flour mixture and pulse just until the dough begins to come together. Turn onto a clean work surface and gently press any loose crumbs into the dough. Avoid kneading.
- Divide into four equal portions. Wrap each portion and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Shape and Partially Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a log about 10 inches long. Place two logs on each baking sheet, leaving at least 3 inches between them. Gently flatten each log to approximately 2 inches wide.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the dough looks set but is still pale. If baking both sheets together, rotate them and switch their rack positions halfway through.
Fill with Jam and Finish Baking
- Remove the sheets from the oven. While the logs are warm, gently press a shallow groove along the centre of each with the back of a small spoon or a wooden spoon handle. Leave a border at both ends and avoid pressing through to the parchment.
- Stir the jam to loosen it, then spoon 2 tablespoons into each groove, spreading it evenly without overflowing.
- Return to the oven for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centres look set. Allow about 25 minutes of baking altogether.
- Let the logs firm up on the baking sheets for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them with a wide spatula to a wire rack. Cool completely before glazing.
Glaze and Slice
- Whisk the icing sugar and milk together until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled almond jam bar logs.
- Let the glaze set for about 20 minutes, or until firm. Using a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion, cut each log into 8 bars to make 32 bars.
Notes
- Almond paste: Use almond paste rather than marzipan, which is sweeter and can change the dough’s texture.
- Jam filling: Raspberry, apricot and blackberry jam all pair well with these almond jam bars. Choose a thick jam and use 2 tablespoons per log to help prevent overflow.
- Chilled dough: Refrigerate for 30 minutes before shaping. If the dough cracks when rolled, let it soften briefly, then gently press the cracks together.
- Baking time: Look for lightly golden edges and set centres. The two baking stages take approximately 25 minutes altogether.
- Cooling and glazing: Cool completely before adding the glaze, then allow it to firm up before slicing. Chilling, cooling and glaze setting are additional to the baking time.
- Yield: Cut each of the four logs into 8 pieces for 32 almond jam bars.
- Storage: Once the glaze is set, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, placing parchment between layers.