Scandinavian Almond Bars

Scandinavian almond bars are made with almond extract, slivered almonds and vanilla glaze. It’s an easy recipe to make in large batches for the holidays.

25 Days of Baking:  Day 19

Every Christmas my Aunt Carol makes almond bars—a cookie textured bar with slivered almonds and icing.  They have to be one of my favorite holiday treats… probably because I love love love almond extract in my baked goods.

There is something about that flavoring that is addictive. Carol must make anywhere between four and a dozen batches every Christmas. A few years back she shared the recipe with me and now I am going to share it with you!

How to make almond bars (also known as almond bark)

Scandinavian almond bars are also known as almond bark for their thin consistency. They are also easy to make! The dough is similar to a sugar cookie dough that you roll out into a 12-inch by 3-inch log.

I like to roll out the dough directly on the parchment paper that way I can pop the bars right into the oven!

Almond barks with slivered almonds

Before the almond bars go in the oven, they are topped with a light brushing of milk and a sprinkling of slivered almonds. The almonds add a little crunch and dimension to the bars while the milk adds a shiny coat to the top.

Scandinavian almond bark with icing

For a little extra sweetness, I drizzle some icing on top of the baked almond bars. The icing is simple to make using only three ingredients—confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and milk. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk, then add more if you want a thinner drizzling consistency.

Diagonally cut the bars while they are still warm, then drizzle the icing. It adds a nice aesthetic and makes the bars look professional!

If you like almond bars, try these recipes…

• Toasted almond biscotti
• Frosted eggnog cookies
• Holiday Linzer cookies

Listen to “Christmastime Is Here” by Vince Guaraldi while baking these bars!

Scandinavian Almond Bars

Scandinavian almond bars are made with almond extract, slivered almonds and vanilla glaze. It's an easy recipe to make in large batches for the holidays.

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Course: Dessert

Keyword: Scandinavian Almond Bars

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 22 minutes

Servings: 40 bars

Author: Haley D Williams

Ingredients

Almond Bars

• 1 3/4 cup (218 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 tablespoons whole milk (or 2% milk)
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Icing

• 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1-2 tablespoons whole milk for drizzle consistency (or 2% milk)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 325° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer), beat together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 90 seconds. Add egg and almond extract, and mix until incorporated, scraping down sides when necessary. Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat well.
• Divide dough into quarters and form each into a 12-inch log. Place two logs 4-5 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Using a rolling pin, flatten log until 3 inches wide (making a 12-inch by 3-inch rectangle. It doesn't have to be perfect.) 
• Brush the two dough rectangles with milk. Sprinkle with almonds and bake 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Repeat with remaining two logs.
  
• While the bars are baking, prepare the icing. Whisk together the powdered sugar, almond extract and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add more milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you reach a drizzle consistency. While the bars are still warm, cut diagonally into one inch strips and drizzle with icing.

Notes

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

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