Strawberry Almond Bars
Strawberry Almond Bars are another delectable dessert bar. Yep, these scrumptious goodies are the real deal. Filled with strawberries, premiere vanilla chips and almonds, then glazed with a cream cheese strawberry-powdered sugar icing to die for. Yep, I’ll take one, or two, or three!
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Last month when I made up a batch of BEST Strawberry Cupcakes, I ended up with a lot of icing and pureed strawberries left over. So I wondered what I was going to do with it all. As it happened, I also had a lot of strawberries in my refrigerator I wanted to use up, so Strawberry Almond Bars were a match made in heaven.
I had a friend who was hosting our youth for a “meet and greet” night for the new youth pastor. I volunteered to make desserts, including Double Chocolate Banana Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins and these lovely Strawberry Almond Bars. Other friends sent soft drinks, appetizers and other goodies–so there was plenty of food. Debra said the kids wolfed down the desserts in nothing flat. They just loved them and these Strawberry Almond Bars got rave reviews. I can see why. I was captivated after one bite of these bars. The icing makes this luscious dessert amazing.
If you’re looking for a divine dessert to share with company, for holiday baking or special occasions like Valentine’s Day, brunches or baby showers, then you’ve got to include Strawberry Almond Bars. But don’t plan on taking any leftovers home. Everyone will be eating this dessert down to the the crumbs! 🙂
Strawberry Almond Bars are to die for!
These delectable bars are great for company or special days like Valentine’s Day!
Don’t Strawberry Almond Bars look scrumptious?
Here’s what I did.
I used these ingredients for the cookie layer.
Place softened butter in a mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, sugar, eggs, baking soda, baking powder, salt, vanilla and pureed strawberries.
Blend ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.
Add UNBLEACHED all purpose flour. Bleached flour toughens baked goods. Add vanilla chips and almonds.
Stir ingredients with a wooden spoon to combine. Add diced strawberries.
Stir again gently to combine. Pour batter into a greased 9×13″ baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before adding icing.
I used these ingredients to make the icing.
Soften cream cheese and butter and cream together with an electric mixer.
Add pureed strawberries and strawberry extract.
Cream mixture together. Add powdered sugar and beat again.
Cream ingredients with an electric mixer until smooth.
After bars have cooled completely add icing.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with fresh strawberries, if desired.
Cut bars down into individual servings.
I topped some of the Strawberry Almond Bars with fresh strawberries, and others I left plain.
Here’s the recipe.
STRAWBERRY ALMOND BARS
(My own concoction)
Strawberry Almond Bars
Equipment
- 1 9x13" glass baking dish
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut strawberries
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 blender
Ingredients
BARS:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup premiere vanilla chips
- 1/2 cup pureed strawberries see note
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 1 cup almonds sliced
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 5 oz. frozen strawberries in syrup thawed and pureed
- 1/4 tsp. strawberry extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 strawberries sliced or whole strawberries for garnish
Instructions
BARS:
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, pureed strawberries, baking powder and salt with an electric mixer; mix well.
- Add flour, vanilla chips and almonds.
- Stir to combine.
- Gently stir in strawberries.
- Spread into greased 9x13” glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool before adding frosting.
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Beat butter and cream cheese with mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of the pureed strawberries and the strawberry extract.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar and beat until you reach the desired consistency.
- Frost bars.
- Refrigerate.
- Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, or whole strawberries, before serving, as desired.
Notes
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen
Nutrition
- [b]STRAWBERRY ALMOND BARS:[/b][br]
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons McCormick pure vanilla extract
- 1-½ cups Gold Medal UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour (bleached flour toughens baked goods)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup Hershey’s premiere vanilla chips
- ½ cup pureed strawberries (see note)
- 1 cup diced strawberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds[br]
- [b]STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:[/b][br]
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4-oz. cream cheese, softened
- 5-oz. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
- ¼ tsp. strawberry extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- freshly sliced strawberries, or whole strawberries, for garnish
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, pureed strawberries, baking powder and salt; mix well.
- Add flour, vanilla chips and almonds.
- Stir to combine.
- Gently stir in strawberries.
- Spread into greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool before adding frosting. [br]
- Beat butter and cream cheese with mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of the pureed strawberries and the strawberry extract.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar and beat until you reach the desired consistency.
- Frost bars.
- Refrigerate.
- Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, or whole strawberries, before serving, as desired.
Because of the cream cheese in the icing, these bars are better left refrigerated until ready to serve. Refrigerate leftovers.
If you love strawberries, you’ll drool over this dessert.
Strawberry Almond Bars are some of the most sensational dessert bars you’ll ever eat!
You may also enjoy these delicious recipes!
Strawberry White Chocolate Gooey Bars
Gluten Free Strawberry Dump Cake Cobbler
Strawberry Almond Bars
Equipment
- 1 9×13" glass baking dish
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 electric mixer
- 1 medium mixing bowl
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 sharp knife to cut strawberries
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- 1 blender
Ingredients
BARS:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup premiere vanilla chips
- 1/2 cup pureed strawberries see note
- 1 cup strawberries diced
- 1 cup almonds sliced
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter softened
- 4 oz. pkg. cream cheese softened
- 5 oz. frozen strawberries in syrup thawed and pureed
- 1/4 tsp. strawberry extract
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 8 strawberries sliced or whole strawberries for garnish
Instructions
BARS:
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla, pureed strawberries, baking powder and salt with an electric mixer; mix well.
- Add flour, vanilla chips and almonds.
- Stir to combine.
- Gently stir in strawberries.
- Spread into greased 9×13” glass baking dish.
- Bake at 350° for 45-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool before adding frosting.
STRAWBERRY CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- Beat butter and cream cheese with mixer until smooth and creamy.
- Beat in 2 tablespoons of the pureed strawberries and the strawberry extract.
- Gradually add in the powdered sugar and beat until you reach the desired consistency.
- Frost bars.
- Refrigerate.
- Garnish with fresh strawberry slices, or whole strawberries, before serving, as desired.
2 Comments
Kim @ The Baking ChocolaTess
July 12, 2015 at 1:37 pm
Teresa, these bars look really yummy! Pinning for later!
Teresa
July 13, 2015 at 11:34 am
Thanks, Kim. Hope you enjoy them.