Almond Bar Cookies

From the kitchen of Carly

Buttery almond cookies with a dense, nutty crumb and crispy sliced almond topping. These bars strike that perfect balance between rich and not-too-sweet, making them ideal for afternoon coffee or packed in lunchboxes. Simple ingredients, serious flavor.

Almond Bar Cookies

Almond paste melts straight into the dough, so you get that dense, nutty flavor without gritty marzipan texture. The egg white wash seals in the sliced almonds on top, turning them jammy and golden. Butter-soft in the middle, crisp at the edges, cut into any shape you want.

Prep
n/a
Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 1/2 cuppacked canned almond paste* , coarsely crumbled
  • 1/2 tspsalt
  • 3/4 cupsugar
  • 2 stickunsalted butter, softened
  • 1 largeegg, separated
  • 1 tspalmond extract
  • 1 1/4 cupall-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cupsliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Drop the almond paste into a food processor and pulse until it breaks into small bits. Add the salt and 1/4 cup of sugar, then continue pulsing until the mixture is finely ground, about 1 minute.

  2. Position an oven rack in the middle and preheat to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, line it with foil leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides, then butter the foil as well.

  3. In a large bowl, beat the butter and remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until the mixture turns pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or 6 minutes with a handheld. Add the almond mixture, egg yolk, and almond extract, beating until everything is well combined, about 2 minutes. Drop the speed to low, mix in the flour until just combined, then spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan with an offset spatula. Lightly beat the egg white in a small bowl, brush a thin layer over the batter, and scatter the sliced almonds evenly on top.

  4. Bake until the top is golden, 35 to 40 minutes. Let the slab cool completely in the pan on a rack, about 1 hour, then lift it out using the foil overhang and transfer to a cutting board. Peel away the foil and cut into squares or rounds.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Pulse the almond paste with salt and sugar first, this breaks it down faster and distributes it evenly through the dough.
  • Don't skip the egg white wash, it acts as an edible glue that keeps almonds from sliding off and gives them a burnished finish.
  • Use an offset spatula to spread the batter flat and even, this is the move that separates cookies from one thick cake.
  • Cool the entire pan before cutting, warm cookies fall apart, cold ones cut clean with a sharp knife.

Variations

  • Swap sliced almonds for slivered pistachios and add 1/4 teaspoon rose water to the dough for a floral, Persian-leaning take.
  • Skip the almond extract and fold dark chocolate chunks into the dough instead, top with toasted coconut flakes.
  • Use half almond paste and half ground hazelnuts for deeper, roasted flavor without changing technique.
  • Brush the egg white with a tiny pinch of fleur de sel before sprinkling almonds to hit a salt-sweet note.

Make ahead and storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. These don't freeze well due to the delicate texture, but they hold up beautifully in the fridge for a week.