Scandinavian Almond Bars
Scandinavian almond bars are made with almond extract, slivered almonds and vanilla glaze. It’s easy to make in large batches for the holidays.
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. A few years back she shared the recipe with me and now I am going to share it with you as part of my 25 Days of Baking.
Why this recipe works: Scandinavian almond bars are also known as almond bark for their thin consistency. The dough is simple and easy to make. You can double or triple the recipe. The dough is similar to a sugar cookie dough that you roll out into a 12-inch by 3-inch log.
How to make almond bars
- Make the dough: Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl and set aside. Beat together butter, sugar, egg and almond extract with an electric mixer. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Roll cookie dough: Divide dough into fourths. Roll into rectangles 12 inches by 3 inches wide. Place two pieces on cookie sheet at least 4 inches apart.
- Add milk and almonds: Use a pastry brush to spread milk on top of each piece of dough. Sprinkle slivered almonds on top.
- Bake dough: Bake the bars at 325 F for 12 minutes or until the edges are set. Let the bars cool for 10 minutes on the pan.
- Cut bars: Use a sharp knife to cut bars 1-inch wide
- Prepare icing: Whisk together confectioners’ sugar, almond extract and milk. Use a spoon to drizzle icing over bars.
Frequently Asked Questions
When the bars are still warm, use a sharp knife to cut the bars on a diagonal. It’s important to do this when the bars are warm so they don’t crumble when you are cutting them.
Place in an airtight container or holiday tin with parchment paper between layers. Store in a dry cool place for up to 1 week.
Place in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature and rolling the dough.
Related almond recipes
Almond is one of my favorite flavors. My toasted almond biscotti recipe is loaded with almond flavor and is also topped with a vanilla glaze. At Christmas time I love making Linzer cookies. They are made with almond flour and filled with raspberry jam. And for a sweet and salty snack, try almond bark with sea salt from Fountain Avenue Kitchen blog.
Scandinavian almond bark is a must for the holidays. The almond extract and slivered almonds creates plenty of flavor while the icing adds a touch of sweetness. Make a few batches and share with friends. They will be asking for the recipe! If you tried this recipe, remember to leave a review below and tag @ifyougiveablondeakitchen on social media!
Scandinavian Almond Bars
Ingredients
Almond Bars
- 1 ¾ cup (218 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, (low-fat works too)
- ½ cup slivered almonds
Icing
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk for drizzle consistency, (low-fat works too)
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.
29 Comments on “Scandinavian Almond Bars”
Reblogged this on Jane Doe (at-your-service).
These look so good and seem to require little work which makes me happy 🙂 Thanks for posting!!
You’re welcome, Ashley. Thank you for stopping by!
They’re my family’s favorite- I’ve actually made over 12 dozen so far this season, and will be making more this weekend!
Why does that not surprise me? This batch went so quickly… Guess I’ll just have to make more!
Nice pic 🙂
Thank you, Rachel!
I love almonds…these look delicious!
Thank you
These almond bars look so delicious and mouth watering!
Thanks!
If I want to make the dough ahead of time, do I need to bring the dough to room temp, or can I roll it out and bake it right from the fridge?
Hi Jen – I suggest letting the dough come to room temp (or close to it). The dough may be a little tricky to roll if it’s too cold and might break.
Can this be made in a 13 x 9 pan, or larger pan? Absolutely delicious!
Hi Linda – Yes, it can be made on a 13×9 baking pan, but it will be a little tight. The bars spread a little while baking so keep that in mind.
This sounds amazing! I love almond goods!!
Any chance you or anyone tried this with almond milk or other dairy free milk?
Sound amazing! How thick should they be rolled?
Hi Barbara – Roll the dough about 3/8-inch thick (slightly more than a quarter inch).
My sister and I always made Scandinavian Almond Bars for our Annual Christmas Cookie Making Day! We made our favorites and gave to surgeons and her fellow OR Staff for Christmas each year. Greatest sisters ever fills my Christmas memories ❣️🎄
I make these cookies, 4x the recipe at a time in my very large cuisinart. My secret is that I put each recipe of dough in a flat gallon zip lock bag, and press the dough out to the edges. Very easy to do when freshly made. I refrigerate til hardened, then cut into 4 equal sections, peel the bag away and put on the cookie sheet. It is absolutely the perfect size and makes this cookie do easy. We love these cookies!!
Could these be made Keto by using almond/coconut flour and a sugar substitute
Hi Sheila – I have not tried this recipe with keto ingredients. Almond flour and coconut flour have a significant higher fat content than all purpose flour so I do not recommend this substitution.
This a recipe from the 1990’s. I make it quite often, it’s a quick recipe to make. For nut allergies I use imitation almond extract. I also make them with lemon flavoring!
Love these cookies. They aren’t too terribly sweet like some.
Easy to make
These are delicious! My first time making them. Your step by step instructions and tips made it so easy. Definitely will be making more batches over the next two weeks before Christmas.
A friend had made these, and I saw a pic and became obsessed. I’m not sure it’s the same recipe but I baked this recipe and it was chewy and crisp, whereas I thought it would be flaky and light. I think there’s far too much sugar in this recipe. After a bit, it makes the cookies hard as a rock.
Hi Cristina! That is so unusual. Whenever I’ve made these bars they actually become a little softer over time. This ratio of sugar to butter and flour is actually pretty standard for cookies. If the cookies are getting hard, perhaps it’s because they were baked too long or you’re baking in a dry climate/high altitude. You can always reduce the amount of sugar be two tablespoons and see if that helps.
I made these twice this weekend and they are officially a new holiday favourite! So easy and delicious, they will definitely be part of our annual Christmas cookie baking from here on out 🙂
This is the second year I’ve made these cookies for my holiday cookie box and I had to triple the recipe this year when so many friends said it was their favorite cookie last year! They are perfect for almond lovers. I use a pizza cutter to slice them right out of the oven and it makes quick work if this step.