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BLT Guacamole

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This spicy guacamole recipe blends one of America’s favorite sandwiches, the BLT, with one of America’s favorite dips, guacamole. Add some Chipotle chile peppers for a hint of smoky spice and you’ll have the best guac recipe you’ve served up for a long time. Let’s take a look at how to make BLT Guacamole.

Bacon lettuce tomato guacamole served with tortilla chips.

You don’t really need a recipe to make a bowl of simple guacamole. Ripe avocados, tomatoes, jalapeno, onion and a spritz of lime juice. And you’ve got the basic best guac recipe. And you’ve got it in a flash. Guacamole is so easy to make, so delicious and very healthy. 

But man cannot live by bread alone. Or in this case by a basic guacamole recipe. A few years ago, Rick Bayless came to town for a lecture, and to promote his newly published cookbook. During that lecture he gave a cooking demonstration which included a few flavor variations on guacamole.

What I learned from this simple demonstration was his theory about dressing up a guacamole recipe. Choose seasonal ingredients when you’re looking to get creative. Example, add pomegranates during the Winter holiday season, Add mango when your market offers this beautiful tropical fruit … and so on.

How To Make BLT Guacamole

Guacamole is one of the easiest party appetizer dips you can make. And with just a little bit more time and effort, you can enjoy this fun spicy guacamole recipe.

  • Cook five strips of bacon until crisp. Drain and break into small pieces.
  • Open a can of Chipotle Chiles in Adobo, slice the chiles, scrape out the seeds and veins and then chop. (Leave those seeds and veins in only if you’re a glutton for heat punishment.)
  • Chop cherry tomatoes. A mix of red, yellow and orange are a good choice here.
  • Shred iceberg lettuce in short shredded strips.

BLT Spicy Guacamole Recipe 

Spicy Guacamole recipe with bacon lettuce and tomato served in a brown pottery bowl with tortilla chips

This spicy guacamole can be made ahead to travel to your next party. Just mix all ingredients together and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole. Press out as much of the air as possible. Refrigerate until ready to go. Remember, cold air and no air are Avocados best friend.

Just save out some chopped tomato, some bacon pieces and shaved lettuce to garnish the top right before serving.

I hope you give this spicy guacamole recipe a try, and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite guacamole dip recipe that’s embellished from the basic guacamole recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

More Easy Mexican Appetizers

Bacon lettuce tomato guacamole served with tortilla chips.
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5 from 2 votes

BLT Spicy Guacamole Recipe

This is a spicy guacamole recipe that blends one of America’s favorite sandwiches, the BLT, with one of America’s favorite dip, guacamole.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer Recipes
Cuisine: Mexican Fusion
Servings: 8
Calories: 193kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 5 strips bacon cooked and crumbled, save out some for garnish
  • 3 medium avocados ripe
  • ½ medium sweet onion chopped
  • 2-3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce removed from adobo sauce, stemmed, split open, seeds scraped out and fine chopped
  • 1 ½ cup cherry tomatoes red and yellow, chopped, some saved for garnish
  • ¼ cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for garnish
  • 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • ½ cup iceberg lettuce fine shredded, for garnish

Instructions

  • Cook the bacon in a skillet, oven or microwave until crispy and browned. Drain on paper towels and then coarsely crumble.
  • Cut around each avocado then twist into two halves. Dislodge the pit. Scoop the flesh from the skin into a large bowl. Using a large fork, mash the avocados into a coarse puree.
  • Add most of the bacon, most of the tomatoes, the onion, the chiles in adobo and most of the cilantro. Season with a little salt and lime juice. Gently combine with a large spoon.
  • Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the guacamole and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve. Scoop the guacamole into a serving dish. 

  • Garnish with remaining bacon, tomatoes, and cilantro. Sprinkle some of the shredded lettuce on top. Serve with corn chips.

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 490IU | Vitamin C: 15.8mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 0.8mg

Guacamole with Bacon Lettuce And Tomato … It’s What’s For An Appetizer

French Butter Cake Lemon Madeleines Recipe

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Classic French Butter Cake Lemon Madeleines Recipe. Madeleines are light and lemony and simple to make if you follow the directions carefully. You’ll be rewarded with unique little cakes that are a little crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside.

A platter of lemon madeleines

What Are Madeleines?

Even though small and cookie size, Madeleines really aren’t cookies at all, but are a traditional very small French sponge cake with a distinctive shell-like shape. They were actually categorized as Petit Fours in Culinary School. A Petit Four is a small bite-sized confectionery or savory appetizer.

The Madeleine shape is achieved by a using a pan with shell shaped molds. Madeleines are popular little tea and dessert cakes that are delightful to look at and lovely to eat.

French Madeleine Cookies lined up on a white platter

If you’ve followed my blog for a few years, you’ll know I’m not much of a baker. That is, until I attended Cook Street Culinary School in 2017. The time spent in the Pastry Kitchen was an incredibly valuable piece of my extensive education there.

My first weeks at school, I was assigned to the Pastry Kitchen under the direction of Jenna Dilullo, a very skilled pastry chef. Jenna studied at Johnson and Wales and at the Culinary Institute before landing in Denver.

Being trained in the Pastry Kitchen meant arriving at 6:30 a.m. every morning. On entering the Pastry Kitchen, I’d find the day’s tasks written on the tiled walls in black marker. After studying the lineup, reading the recipes twice, we’d time block, organize and gather equipment to have each assignment completed by around 12:30 or 1:00 p.m. A lofty task since the assignment sheet included 2 – 3 loaves of bread, a couple of desserts and perhaps a pastry, or two. It was a great challenge but rewarding challenge to complete the list and a delicious end to a day flour filled day.

Cooked madeleines on a cooling rack

The morning Lemon French Madeleines were written on that wall, I became really nervous. “French”. Difficult, fussy and tedious came to mind.

Much to my surprise, being a novice baker at the time, I found these lemon Madeleines to be fairly easy. I was extremely proud of my adorable little French cakes, and right then and there decided they would become a staple in my home kitchen.

Since my time in Culinary School, I’ve read a couple of articles about making Madeleines with one author warning how fussy and difficult they can be to make. I simply don’t agree. Just go out and buy yourself a couple of Madeleine pans and follow instructions.

They’re fun to make and popular. People seem to be drawn to their beautiful lemony color and delicate shape.

Measuring flour with a food scale to make lemon madeleines

And as I learned in Culinary School Pastry Kitchen – Read the recipe twice before starting, and then gather ingredients and equipment.

Mise en place is not optional. And it’s a very good habit to get into when cooking anything. Also learned in Culinary School, when baking, always use a scale to measure ingredients.

French Madeleine Cookie Recipe Madeleine dough in a madeleine pan

I found the Madeleine pan at Sur la Table. They had two Madeleine pans with two sizes of the shell molds. I bought the pan that offered the larger sized shells. That’s the size we used at school.

French Butter Cake Lemon Madeleines Recipe

I hope you won’t let the word “French” intimidate, and you give this lemon Madeleines Recipe a try. It’s very rewarding, very manageable and and these small cakes are a fresh tasting dessert.

Once you make this recipe please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

Madeleines come in many flavors, so if you’ve made them and flavored them in a unique way, let me know, I’d love to give them a try.

Looking for more French dessert recipes? Don’t miss this one for French Pear Tart Bourdaloue

French Madel
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5 from 3 votes

French Butter Cakes. Lemon Madeleines Recipe

Classic French Butter Cake Madeleine Recipe. Madeleines are light and lemony and simple to make if you follow the directions carefully. You’ll be rewarded with unique little cakes that are a little crispy on the outside and spongy on the inside.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: French
Servings: 24 cakes
Calories: 147kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 4 whole eggs
  • 8 ounces sugar
  • 6 ounces cake flour sifted
  • 4 ounces all purpose flour sifted
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • 8 ounces butter melted and cooled to body temperature

Instructions

  • Whip eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl with a whip attachment until 3 x volume.
  • Add zest and flours and fold to combine.
  • Fold in butter until combined.
  • Set aside for 20 minutes.
  • Pipe into lightly greased madeleine pans, no more than ½ full.
  • Bake in preheated 375 degree oven until they bounce back to the touch when the center is pressed. This will take about 10 minutes.
  • Let cool 5 minutes then turn out of the pans. 

Nutrition

Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 68mg | Potassium: 14mg | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 235IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.3mg

An affiliate link to the Madeleine pan has been included in this post. I participate in the Amazon Affiliate Program. If you purchase the pan using the link provided, I make a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Cast Iron Skillet Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe

By 14 Comments

This is a chocolate banana bread recipe, super moist, super clever and super delish. Dark chocolate and a cast iron skillet give this banana bread a stunning presentation. With cocoa and dark chocolate this is a lush, decadent chocolate bread experience.

dark chocolate banana bread recipe baked in a cast iron skillet

So how is everyone’s January going? It’s been a tad on the boring side at our household. Not complaining at all. Nice and relaxing, just how we like it after the holidays. I’ve been catching up on my reading. Our book club read this month is The Thirteenth Tale. Anyone read it? Gothic, a bit mysterious, and quite a story.

That’s somewhat how I feel about this chocolate banana bread recipe. Baked in a cast iron skillet, it’s a bit gothic in appearance, a bit mysterious with its dark rich appearance and quite a delicious story after the dust has settled.

Dark Chocolate banana bread recipe baked in a cast iron skillet and served on vintage china with a dollop of whipped cream

How to Bake Bread in a Cast Iron Skillet

Before I attempted to bake this chocolate banana bread in my cast iron skillet, I visited a few similar recipes to confirm that I knew what I was doing. Do you spray the skillet with Pam? Leave it dry? Coat the bottom of the pan with parchment?

Almost everything I read indicated that if your cast iron skillet is well seasoned, then the bread should bake just fine without any treatment. I’ve had my skillet for years, use it often and just assume that I’ve done my job correctly and the skillet is functioning as a cast iron skillet should.

Chocolate banana bread recipe cooked in a cast iron skillet. Lined with parchment paper and a wedge cut out.

But I was still nervous about the theory. To be safe, I cut a round of parchment paper to fit on the bottom of my skillet and it worked beautifully when I cut the first wedge for serving. I just hate to waste food, and didn’t want to dump a sticky mess in the trash, so will probably continue this method. If you’ve used your cast iron skillet to bake bread, ‘d love to hear from you about your experience.

Chocolate banana bread recipe cut in wedges, sprinkled with powdered sugar on a rectangular white serving platter

This recipe is absolutely decadent. A good dose of olive oil and the bananas insure it’ll be beautifully moist. Both cocoa and chopped dark chocolate make this a chocolate lover’s dream. The addition of sour cream brings a welcome tangy creaminess and the bits of pecan remind you that you’re still in love with comfort food.

An easy recipe, this is perfect for about any event. This would be a big hit for a ladies luncheon, or a popular offering at your next book club gathering. And living up to its quick bread reputation, this is an easy recipe.

I served this two ways, once with a dollop of whipped cream, and another time simply sprinkled with powdered sugar. Both were delicious options.

Dark Chocolate banana bread recipe baked in a cast iron skillet

Skillet Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe

I hope you give this dark chocolate banana bread recipe a try, and if you do please come back and give the recipe a star rating. And leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite chocolate banana bread recipe, let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

More Quick Bread Recipes

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Chocolate banana bread recipe cut in wedges, sprinkled with powdered sugar on a rectangular white serving platter
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5 from 4 votes

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe

This is a chocolate banana bread recipe, super moist, super clever and super delish. Dark chocolate and a cast iron skillet give this banana bread a stunning presentation. With cocoa and dark chocolate this is a lush decadent chocolate bread experience.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time50 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 485kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup unsweetened cocoa (regular or Dutch-process)
  • ¾ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
  • ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 1 ½ cups ultra ripe bananas (from about 3 large bananas), mashed with a fork into a smooth puree
  • ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (full fat is best)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate (equals a 4-ounce bar), or an equal amount of dark chocolate chips
  • ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F. Generously butter or grease with olive oil a 10-inch enameled or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet, or a 9×5-inch loaf pan. (If your skillet isn’t well-seasoned, you can line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.)
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a separate bowl, mix together the olive oil, eggs, mashed banana, sour cream, and vanilla. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. Fold in the chocolate and pecans (if using), again just until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared skillet.
  • Bake until golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, about 28 to 35 minutes (start checking at about 22 minutes for doneness). Let cool in skillet for about 20 to 30 minutes, and serve warm or at room temperature, straight from the pan. (If using a loaf pan, the baking time will be closer to 55 to 65 minutes. Let cool in the loaf pan for about 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and invert it onto a cooling rack.)

Notes

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or sprinkled with powdered sugar.

Nutrition

Calories: 485kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 45mg | Sodium: 136mg | Potassium: 442mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 130IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 5.1mg

Cheesy Potatoes With Corn Flakes Topping

By 15 Comments

This recipe for Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes is an absolutely delicious potato casserole side dish that will feed a crowd. For breakfast or dinner, it’s a perfect side for bacon, sausage or even served alongside your favorite dinner entree.

Cornflake potato casserole in a white casserole dish.

What You Can Expect From This Recipe

Growing up in the middle of Kansas, in a community where Church Supper pot luck dinners became part of my DNA, I know my way around hot dish casserole recipes. And a potato. style casserole, like this one for Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes is a universal favorite.

I mean really, how can anyone resist, hash brown potatoes, cheese sour cream, butter and a topping of crunchy sweet Corn Flakes? It touches all the bases of creamy, cheesy, crunchy and starchy.

This is an extremely easy recipe to make, using frozen hash brown potatoes. The cheesy comes in the form of Cheez Whiz. Say what you want about this product, but it’s the cheesy ingredient in the most popular recipe on my website for Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole.

And you know you’re in for a treat because the aroma is intoxicating as it bakes. And the end result is a potato casserole that’s simply irresistible.

Once baked the texture becomes reminiscent of mashed potatoes. Perfect for brunch, or a pot luck, and especially nice for Easter. A great side dish for ham.

This recipe comes from an Amish Cookbook from the area where I grew up. The cookbook is filled with homestyle, country, Dutch Amish and Mennonite recipes. This recipe has been a family favorite for many years.

Let’s Take A Look:

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients to make cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes.
  • Hash Brown Potatoes: I like to make this potato casserole with frozen shredded hash brown potatoes. You most certainly could make this recipe using cubed or diced hash browns.
  • Dairy: Sour Cream (full fat please), butter and Cheez Whiz Cheese Dip.
  • Dried Onion Flakes: Makes this an even easier recipe. No chopping fresh onions.
  • Corn Flakes Cereal: Combined with melted butter, this makes a wonderful crunchy topping.
  • Cream of Chicken Soup: I’ve always used cream of chicken, but surely Cream of Mushroom soup would be a good substitute.
  • Cheez Whiz: Marketed as a cheese dip or cheese topping product, it happens to be very popular in casseroles such as this.

How to Make Corn Flake Potato Casserole

It’s ridiculously easy.

Step 1 to make cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes.
  1. Step 1: In a bowl, add Cheez Whiz, dried onion flakes, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup.
Step 2 to make cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes.
  1. Step 2: Use a whisk to combine well. If it seems hard to stir, microwave for 30 seconds.
Step 3 to make cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes.
  1. Step 3: In a large bowl use a sturdy spoon to combine thawed frozen hash brown potatoes and the sour cream, Cheez Whiz mixture.
Step 4 to make cornflake topping for cheesy potato casserole.
  1. Step 4: Gently combine melted butter with corn flakes.
Step 5 to make cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes.
  1. Step 5: Use a large spoon and add the hash brown potato mixture to a greased casserole dish.
Step 7 to make cheesy hash brown potatoes with corn flakes.
  1. Step 6: Use your hands to sprinkle the buttered Corn Flakes over the potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and steamy throughout.

Topping Alternatives

I personally prefer the traditional Corn Flakes Topping for this potato casserole, however, here are some more ideas:

  • Crushed Ritz Crackers. About 40 crackers pulsed in a food processor.
  • Two cups crushed potato chips. Use the thinner style of potato chips such as Lays Original. Use your hands to break them up over the casserole.
  • French Fried Onion Rings, about two cups. Again use your hands to break them up and sprinkle them over the casserole.

Tips for Success

  • Plan about 1 hour for the hash brown potatoes to thaw to room temperature. Or place the potatoes in a large bowl and let thaw in the refrigerator over night.

Questions You May Have

Can You Make Cheesy Potatoes Ahead Of Time?

You can start the process through Step 3, where the potato mixture is placed in the casserole dish. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator up to 2 days in advance. Add the Corn Flake topping right before baking. This will keep that crispy topping nice and crunchy. You can also use these instructions to freeze ahead of time. Let the potatoes thaw in the refrigerator over night, add the Corn Flake Topping then bake.

Is This Recipe Called Funeral Potatoes?

I’ve seen so many recipe versions for Funeral Potatoes that my head spins. I simply call this Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes.

Can I Substitute Grated Cheese For Cheez Whiz

Yes, use 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese. Purchase a block and cheese and grate it yourself. These cheese potatoes will be creamier because the cheese will melt smoother.

Storage

Cover the casserole with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leftovers will also freeze well.

Reheat individual servings in the microwave in 30 second increments. You can also let the casserole dish come to room temperature and reheat in a 250 degree oven, until warmed.

Please note that once the casserole is stored, the cornflake topping will lose a bit of it’s crunch. Not to worry, it’s still delicious.

What To Serve With Cheesy Potatoes

This recipe makes a large batch, so more than likely you’ll be using it to feed a crowd. Here are some main course ideas that for a group gathering.

Thinking about brunch? Try serving these cheese potatoes with this Sausage Breakfast Biscuit Bake.

Recipe for Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes

Cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes in a Fiesta Ware bowl.

And don’t miss my category for Potato Recipes. You’ll find more recipe ideas, along with the most popular on my site for Savory Cast Iron Skillet Potatoes.

Cheesy potatoes with Corn Flakes in a white casserole dish.
Print Recipe
5 from 6 votes

Easy Cheesy Potatoes with Cornfakes

An absolutely delicious potato casserole side dish to feed a crowd. For breakfast, dinner, pot luck or Easter. Cheesy Potatoes with Corn Flakes is an extremely popular crowd-pleaser.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 240kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Hash browns Frozen. Thawed
  • 15 ounces Cheez Whiz
  • 2 tablespoons Dried onion Flakes
  • 16 Ounces Sour cream
  • 10 ½ ounce Can Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Cups Corn Flakes
  • 4 Tablespoons butter melted

Instructions

  • Spray a casserole dish with non-stick spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Place frozen hash browns in a large bowl and thaw. This should take about an hour.
  • In a smaller bowl, mix Cheez Whiz, onions, sour cream, cream of chicken soup. A minute in the microwave will help make this easy to stir together.  
  • Pour this mixture over the potatoes and gently stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind, the soup and cheese are salty, so be cautious with added salt. 
  • Pour the potatoes into an 9 x 13 inch casserole dish. 
  • In a large bowl, gently combine melted butter with corn flakes. Use your clean hands to sprinkle this mixture over the potatoes.
  • Bake 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes. Mixture needs to be nice and steamy and Corn Flakes are starting to brown. 

Notes

I made this recipe with shredded frozen hash browns. It would most certainly work with country style cubed hash brown potatoes.
Plan about 1 hour for the hash brown potatoes to thaw to room temperature. Or place the potatoes in a large bowl and let thaw in the refrigerator over night.

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 423mg | Potassium: 335mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 560IU | Vitamin C: 8.3mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 2.2mg

If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.

And, don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter for more delicious recipes and cooking tips. Make it a delicious day … every day.

Cheese Potatoes with Corn Flakes … It’s what’s for brunch,

Almond Chambord Raspberry Bars

By 10 Comments

This is a recipe for almond flavored Raspberry Bars. These raspberry dessert bars are made with raspberry jam, Chambord liqueur and are complimented by slivered almonds and a buttery almond flavored short-bread type crust. An easy recipe year round, but with the deep red color of the raspberry jam. especially nice for Christmas or Valentines Day. 

Raspberry Crumble Bars with Almonds.

Don’t you think holidays are always better with a special dessert treat? And how easy does it get to use raspberry jam to make these delicious and easy dessert bar. It’s a great dessert recipe to feed a crowd.

And did I mention that the crowd went wild? There’s something about the almond and raspberry combo that simply works. And with Chambord liqueur added to compliment the raspberry preserves, you’ve got an even more mouth watering combination.

With a shortbread crust as the base and slivered almonds on top, you most certainly could call these raspberry crumble bars. Raspberry crumble bars that melt in your mouth and have you reaching for another…and another.

Raspberry Bars on a tempo antique saucer

And what about that crowd? A couple of weeks ago, our son Sean invited us over to his studio for a Christmas ornament making party. He pre-molded and provided us the ceramic snow flake, and we spent the next couple of hours hand painting our own designs onto the snowflake. This is the second year he’s done this and it’s great fun.

Last year we painted Christmas stockings. Let’s just say I was less than pleased with my result, so hoping the snowflake turns out a bit more “professional.” A Christmas ornament I will be proud to hang on our tree.

And with any gathering that involves our family group, of course there’s food involved. At this pot luck affair I took my award winning chili, my friend Holly’s recipe for gluten free Hermit Bars and these raspberry bars.

Sean provided his New Mexico style turkey chili, made absolutely delicious using New Mexico chile powder. Cauleen brought two kinds of cornbread.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner before we went to work.

Almond Raspberry Bars made with raspberry jam on le creuset white platter

How to Make Raspberry Bars

  • These raspberry bars are very easy to make, just a few simple steps and they’re done.
  • Using a food processor, combine flour, powdered sugar and butter. Pat it into a casserole dish and bake.
  • The filling is even easier, just combine the Chambord and the Raspberry Preserves.
  • The topping is a mixture of flour, sugar, almond paste and butter, again mixed in the food processor. Sprinkle on those beautiful sliced almonds.
  • After another bake, a simple glaze of powdered sugar, milk and vanilla brings this all together as a delicious dessert treat.

Can you freeze raspberry bars?

Yes, just wrap them well in plastic wrap or place in an air tight container.

Recipe for Raspberry Dessert Bars with Almonds and Chambord Liqueur

Raspberry bars made with almonds and raspberry jelly on antique tempo dessert plate

I hope you give this Almond Raspberry Bars recipe a try and if you do, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.

And if you have a favorite raspberry bars recipe please let me know, I’d love to give it a try.

And if you’re a big fan of raspberry jam, don’t miss my appetizer recipe for Whipped Goat Cheese with Raspberry Chile Jam. It’s delightful … and so easy.

In the baking mood for the holidays? How about trying your hand at Homemade Fudge.

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5 from 4 votes

Almond Raspberry Bars

This is a recipe for almond flavored Raspberry Bars. These raspberry dessert bars are made with raspberry jam, Chambord Liqueur and complimented with slivered almonds and a buttery almond flavored short-bread type crust. An easy recipe year round, but with the deep red color of the raspberry jam. especially nice for Christmas or Valentines Day. 
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12
Calories: 635kcal
Author: Lea Ann Brown

Ingredients

  • Crust:
  • 2 cups flour
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter chilled
  • Filling:
  • 2 cups raspberry preserves
  • ¼ cup Chambord liqueur
  • Topping:
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 7 ounces almond paste
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ⅔ cup sliced almonds
  • Icing:
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients in a food processor and quickly pulse until crumbly. Pat crust into a greased 13 x 9 x 2 inch glass pan. Bake for 20 minutes or untill ight golden brown. Remove from oven.
  • For filling: Mix preserves and Chambord liqueur together and spread on top of crust.
  • To prepare topping: Combine flour, sugar, almond paste, and butter in a food processor and quickly pulse until crumbly. Sprinkle over filling and top with sliced almonds. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until golden brown. Filling will still be jiggly, but will set up as it cools. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.
  • Stir together all icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle icing over the bars while still in the pan. Cool completely in refrigerator before cutting into bars. Use a very sharp knife. 

Notes

These bars can be hard to cut. I have found a very sharp serrated knife cuts through the almond topping without the almonds flying all over the counter.

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcal | Carbohydrates: 89g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 25mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 54g | Vitamin A: 595IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2.1mg