Crispy Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars: An Old-Fashioned Cookie Recipe for Your Cookie Platter
These delightful Almond Bars are much more than just a cookie; they are a crisp, thin bar cookie experience featuring an unexpected, yet utterly harmonious, blend of warm cinnamon, rich almonds, and bright lemon. Perfectly crunchy, they offer a wonderful textural contrast that will elevate any cookie platter, making them a standout addition to your baking repertoire.
There’s a special kind of satisfaction in creating something truly impressive with just a few mindful steps. While many heritage cookbooks can be a bit verbose, their depth of flavor always makes the journey worthwhile. This cherished recipe for crunchy Almond Bars, inspired by a classic, is a prime example of such a rewarding endeavor.
The culinary legend, Maida Heatter, known for her detailed recipes, has consistently delivered exceptional results, and her Book of Great Cookies provided the foundational inspiration for these spectacular almond dessert bars. We’ve refined her method to bring you these perfectly crunchy, cinnamon-spiced almond bars, complete with a zesty lemon glaze.
These crispy almond bars are a personal favorite for holiday baking, often appearing alongside my best Christmas Cookies. To create a truly unforgettable cookie assortment, consider pairing them with other timeless, old-fashioned favorites. Think classic Linzer Cookies with their vibrant fruit filling, aromatic Homemade Speculoos Cookies, or the subtly spiced Pfeffernüsse Cookies. These additions will beautifully complement the unique flavor profile and crisp texture of your Almond Bars, ensuring a diverse and delightful platter.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Adore These Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars
- Key Ingredients for Perfect Almond Bars
- Creative Variations
- Smart Substitutions
- Step-by-Step: How to Make Almond Bars
- Chef Lindsey’s Pro Baking Tip
- Expert Recipe Tips for Success
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Almond Bars Recipe Card
- Before You Go!
Why You’ll Adore These Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars:
- Unique & Unexpected Flavor Profile: Move beyond the ordinary with these distinctive crunchy bar cookies. While they require a touch of extra care, the result is a truly delightful and memorable treat. The combination of bright, zesty lemon, warm, aromatic cinnamon, and nutty, toasted almonds creates a complex yet incredibly balanced flavor that will surprise and impress. It’s a refreshing change of pace from traditional cookie flavors.
- Infused with Old-Fashioned Charm: There’s an undeniable allure to baked goods that evoke a sense of history and comfort, reminiscent of recipes passed down through generations. These Almond Bars deliver just that—a comforting, nostalgic sweetness that feels both classic and timeless. Each bite offers a taste of traditional home baking, making them perfect for sharing with loved ones or enjoying with a cup of tea.
- The Perfect Addition to Any Cookie Platter: Achieving a balanced cookie platter is all about variety in taste and texture. These Almond Bars offer a wonderfully crisp and crunchy element, providing a delightful contrast to softer, chewier favorites. Imagine pairing their delicate, brittle texture with the soft chewiness of Peanut Butter M&M Chocolate Chip Cookies, the tender zest of Lemon Pudding Cookies, or the rich indulgence of Perfect Chewy White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies. The delicate almond and lemon flavor ensures these bars stand out without overpowering other treats.
Key Ingredients for Perfect Almond Bars
Each ingredient plays a crucial role in achieving the signature taste and texture of these crisp almond bars. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:
- Almonds: For this recipe, I specifically recommend using blanched, slivered almonds. Their slender shape allows them to layer beautifully on top of the cookie crust, creating an even, golden-brown texture when baked. Blanched almonds also offer a cleaner, milder almond flavor that truly shines through.
- Butter: Opt for unsalted butter in all your baking endeavors. This gives you complete control over the salt content, allowing you to perfectly balance the flavors without unexpected variations from different butter brands. It forms the rich base of our crisp cookie crust.
- Cinnamon: My preference is Saigon cinnamon for its bold, warm, and slightly spicy notes, which beautifully complement the almonds. However, any good quality ground cinnamon will infuse these bars with that comforting, aromatic spice.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar is essential not just for sweetness, but also for its role in retaining moisture, improving the overall texture, and contributing to the stability of the cookie dough. It ensures the bars are perfectly tender-crisp.
- Whole Egg: The egg serves multiple purposes in this recipe, providing essential fat and moisture to enrich the dough. Separating the egg allows us to use the yolk for richness in the dough and the white as a binder for the almond topping, ensuring textural perfection.
- All-Purpose Flour: Proper measurement of flour is critical for the success of these bars. Always fluff the flour in its bag, then spoon it gently into your measuring cup. Level it off with a straight edge, such as a knife, without tapping or compressing the flour. Incorrectly measured (too much) flour can lead to a dry, crumbly cookie crust, rather than the desired crispness.
- Kosher Salt: Kosher salt is preferred due to its larger crystals, which allow for better control of seasoning compared to finer table salt. It acts as a flavor enhancer, preventing your bar cookies from tasting dull or flat and bringing out the best in the other ingredients.
- Confectioner’s Sugar: Also known as powdered sugar, confectioner’s sugar is finely ground, making it ideal for creating a smooth, lump-free glaze without the need for heating. It provides the delicate sweetness and creamy texture for our lemon glaze.
- Water: Just a touch of water is needed to achieve the perfect consistency for the lemon glaze, allowing it to drizzle smoothly over the warm almond bars and set beautifully.
- Lemon Juice: The vibrant tang of lemon juice is the star of our glaze, cutting through the sweetness and adding a refreshing, bright counterpoint to the rich almonds and cinnamon. For the best flavor, fresh lemon juice is always my motto and highly recommended.
Chef’s Insight on Lemon Juice: If fresh lemons aren’t available, seek out frozen fresh lemon juice or refrigerated options. Be wary of any store-bought lemon juice that appears dark in color, as this indicates it will no longer offer that bright, fresh flavor crucial for the glaze.
Creative Variations for Your Almond Bars
While the classic lemon cinnamon almond bars are divine, don’t hesitate to get creative! The versatility of this recipe allows for wonderful customizations to suit your taste or the season.
- Explore Different Spice Combinations: Let the calendar guide your spice rack! In autumn, swap the cinnamon for a cozy Apple Pie Spice Mix or a fragrant Pumpkin Spice Recipe. As winter approaches, transition to a festive Speculoos Spice Mix for a European flair. These simple swaps can completely transform the character of your almond bars.
- Experiment with Glaze Possibilities: The glaze is where you can truly let your imagination soar! Instead of lemon, consider a sophisticated cherry brandy glaze, similar to the one on my Cherry Almond Pound Cake, which would beautifully complement the almonds. Or, go for an intensified almond experience with an easy almond glaze made from confectioner’s sugar, almond extract, and a splash of milk, much like the topping on my Peach Loaf Cake. A hint of orange zest in a simple vanilla glaze could also be delightful.
- Break Apart for Rustic Charm: For a more casual, rustic presentation, allow the baked and glazed bars to cool completely, then simply break them into irregular pieces, much like chocolate bark. This method is also a clever solution if your bars cool too much before you get a chance to make perfect, clean slices.
Smart Substitutions for Your Almond Bars
Life happens, and sometimes you need to make a quick swap. Here are some effective substitutions that will still yield delicious results for your almond bars:
- Alternative Nuts: While almonds are traditional and what Maida Heatter used, feel free to use your favorite nuts! Pecans, walnuts, or even pistachios would be fantastic. Simply chop them finely to ensure an even spread and don’t skip the egg white step, as it’s crucial for binding the topping securely. For an entirely different texture and flavor, consider adding a shredded coconut topping instead of nuts for a tropical twist.
- Different Citrus for Glaze: If lemons aren’t on hand, you can certainly substitute the lemon juice with another citrus, such as lime or orange juice. Remember that different citruses have varying levels of sweetness and tartness, so be sure to taste your glaze mixture and adjust the confectioner’s sugar or juice slightly to achieve that desired balance of sweet and tangy. The tartness is key to prevent the glaze from being cloyingly sweet.
- Gluten-Free Option: Making these almond bars gluten-free is a straightforward swap. Simply substitute the all-purpose flour with a high-quality gluten-free flour blend. Personally, I’ve had excellent results both at home and professionally using the Cup for Cup brand, which is formulated to behave much like regular wheat flour in baking.
Step-by-Step: How to Make Almond Bars
Follow these detailed instructions to achieve perfectly crisp and flavorful Almond Bars every time. You’ll find all precise measurements and additional tips in the comprehensive recipe card below.
Prepare Your Baking Pan:
Step 1: Begin by lining a 9×13 inch baking dish with criss-crossed parchment paper. This simple step is vital for easy removal of the baked bars later. Using a metal baking dish or a jelly roll pan is highly recommended, as metal conducts heat more efficiently, resulting in a more evenly crisp and golden-brown bottom crust for your bars.
Step 2: Preheat your oven to a steady 300°F (150°C). This lower temperature allows the bars to bake slowly and develop their crisp texture without burning the almonds on top.
Craft the Bars & Glaze:
Step 1: In the bowl of your stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter until it’s light and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and cinnamon, beating until well combined and light. Next, beat in the egg yolk, ensuring to reserve the egg white for later. Reduce your mixer speed to low and gradually incorporate the all-purpose flour and kosher salt, mixing just until the ingredients are combined and no dry streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, which can lead to tough bars.
Step 2: Transfer the prepared dough into the bottom of your parchment-lined baking dish. Use your hands to spread and firmly press the dough evenly across the entire bottom surface of the pan. While striving for an even layer will lead to a uniform crispness, don’t stress over perfection – the final product will still be delicious!
Pro Tip for Evenness: For the most consistent crunch in every bite, take a moment to really press that dough evenly into the pan. This ensures uniform baking and a perfect texture throughout your bars!
Step 3: In a separate small bowl, beat or whisk the reserved egg white until it becomes light and foamy. Using a pastry brush, gently brush the entire surface of the pressed dough with this whisked egg white. Evenly sprinkle all the slivered almonds over the egg white layer. Lightly press the almonds down with your fingers or the back of a spoon to help them adhere to the dough, ensuring they stay in place during baking.
Step 4: Place the baking dish into your preheated oven and bake the almond bars until they turn a beautiful golden brown color. This typically takes about 30 minutes, but ovens vary, so keep a close eye on them. The golden hue indicates a perfectly crisp cookie base and lightly toasted almonds, marrying all the flavors beautifully. While they are baking, prepare your glaze ingredients.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted unsalted butter, water, fresh lemon juice, and confectioner’s sugar until you achieve a smooth, pourable glaze. As soon as you remove the golden-brown bars from the oven, immediately drizzle this vibrant lemon glaze generously over the warm surface. If you notice the glaze pooling in certain areas, use an offset spatula to gently spread it evenly across the entire top of the bars, ensuring every bite gets a touch of that zesty sweetness.
Glaze Application Technique: To ensure even coverage and prevent the glaze from pooling excessively, keep it moving! Try creating a beautiful pattern, like a gentle sine wave, across the bars, then go back over in the same pattern to fill in any gaps. This method helps the glaze set uniformly as it cools.
Step 6: Allow the glazed bars to cool in the pan for approximately 20-25 minutes. During this time, they will firm up slightly but still retain a bit of warmth. This is the optimal moment to cut them into neat, individual pieces. A serrated knife, like a bread knife, works wonders here, providing clean, crisp edges without crumbling the bars. Once cut, transfer your almond bars to a wire rack to cool completely. This final cooling step is crucial for achieving their ultimate crisp texture. Then, simply enjoy your perfectly crafted, old-fashioned almond bars!
Chef Lindsey’s Pro Baking Tip
For impeccably clean and crisp slices, it’s essential to cut these bar cookies while they are still slightly warm. Use a serrated knife (like a bread knife) with a gentle sawing motion. Cutting them too soon when hot might cause crumbling, but waiting until they’re completely cold will make them very brittle and harder to slice cleanly. The slight warmth allows for precision before they fully crisp up!
Expert Recipe Tips for Success
Achieving perfect crispy lemon cinnamon almond bars is easy with these insider tips:
- Choose a Metal Baking Pan: The material of your baking dish makes a noticeable difference. A metal baking pan or a jelly roll pan is superior for these bars because metal conducts heat more efficiently and evenly. This ensures that the bottom of your cookie crust becomes wonderfully crisp and uniformly golden brown, which is key to the overall texture of these delicious bars.
- The Importance of Slivered Almonds: Pay close attention to the type of almonds you use! I specifically call for slivered almonds. During my first attempt at this recipe, I almost mistakenly used chopped almonds. Chopped almonds would create a different, much denser topping texture that doesn’t quite achieve the delicate crunch we’re aiming for. If slivered almonds are hard to find, blanched sliced almonds can be a decent alternative, though their flatter shape and blanched state might yield a slightly different visual and textural outcome compared to the elegant slivers.
- Bake Until Golden Brown Perfection: Don’t underestimate the baking time! Baking the bars until they reach a beautiful golden-brown color is crucial. This process doesn’t just cook the dough; it actively melds all the cinnamon, butter, and sugar flavors together, intensifying their aroma and taste. More importantly, it delicately toasts the almonds on top, enhancing their nutty depth, and provides that irresistibly pleasant crunch to the bar’s bottom layer.
Frequently Asked Questions About Almond Bars
Storing these delectable bar cookies is simple! Place them in an airtight container at room temperature, where they will maintain their freshness and crispness for up to 2 weeks. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Make sure they are completely cooled before storing.
Good news for busy bakers! There is absolutely no need to chill this dough before baking. This makes the recipe much quicker and more convenient. Simply assemble your almond bars and pop them directly into the preheated oven.
Yes, these crispy almond bars are an excellent make-ahead dessert! You can fully assemble and bake them, then slice them into individual portions. Once cooled, they can be frozen for up to two months, making them perfect for future gatherings or unexpected cravings.
Absolutely! This recipe scales up beautifully, making it perfect for large batches, holiday events, or gifting. Your only limitations will be the capacity of your stand mixer and the number of baking pans and ovens you have available.
Yes, these almond bars freeze wonderfully! Once baked and completely cooled, arrange them in a single layer in an airtight freezer-safe container, separated by parchment paper if stacking. To thaw, simply place them on the kitchen counter overnight, and they’ll be ready to enjoy.
These robust bars generally ship quite well, thanks to their crisp nature. For best results, package them snugly in a tin or sturdy box with tissue paper or other soft padding to minimize movement and prevent breakage. Cutting the bars into slightly larger pieces can also help them arrive with minimal damage, making them a fantastic option for edible gifts.
Crispy Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars
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Ingredients
For the Crispy Bars:
- 1 ⅓ cups blanched slivered almonds
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold, cut into cubes
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg separated (yolk for dough, white for topping)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
For the Zesty Lemon Glaze:
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter melted
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
Step-by-Step Preparation:
-
Line a 9×13 inch metal baking dish with criss-crossed parchment paper for easy removal. Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C).
Making the Almond Bars:
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In a stand mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the unsalted butter until fluffy. Add the granulated sugar and cinnamon, beating until well combined. Beat in the egg yolk, reserving the egg white.
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Reduce mixer speed to low. Gradually add the all-purpose flour and kosher salt, mixing until just combined and no dry spots remain. Do not overmix.
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Press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish using your hands. Aim for an even layer for consistent crispness.
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In a small bowl, whisk the reserved egg white until foamy. Brush this egg white over the dough with a pastry brush. Evenly spread the slivered almonds over the egg white and gently press them to adhere.
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Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bars are golden brown and the almonds are lightly toasted. Towards the end of the baking time, prepare your glaze.
Prepare the Lemon Glaze:
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In a bowl, whisk together the confectioner’s sugar, melted unsalted butter, water, and fresh lemon juice until smooth.
Assemble & Enjoy:
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Immediately after removing the bars from the oven, drizzle the lemon glaze evenly over the warm almond topping. Use an offset spatula to gently spread it if necessary, ensuring a uniform coating.
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Allow the bars to cool in the pan for 20-25 minutes. While still slightly warm, cut them into pieces using a serrated knife for clean edges. Transfer the cut bars to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your perfect crispy Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars!
Notes
Flavor Tips – The freshness of your lemon juice will significantly impact the glaze’s flavor. Always aim for freshly squeezed lemon juice to achieve that vibrant, zesty tang.
Glaze Technique – To avoid glaze pooling and ensure an even, attractive coating, keep the glaze moving as you drizzle. A ‘sine wave’ pattern, followed by another pass to fill gaps, works beautifully to distribute it uniformly.
Helpful Tools – Lining your baking pan with parchment paper is a small but crucial detail that guarantees your crispy almond bars can be lifted out of the pan effortlessly once baked and cooled.
Creative Variations – These bar cookies are incredibly adaptable! Feel free to experiment with different types of finely chopped nuts or various spice mixes (like apple pie or pumpkin spice) to tailor them to your personal taste, always maintaining the primary dough ratios.
Storage – Store your baked and cooled Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks, or freeze them for up to 2 months for extended enjoyment.
Nutrition
Before You Go! Explore More Chef-Developed Cookie Recipes
We truly hope you enjoyed crafting and savoring this professional chef-tested recipe for crispy Lemon Cinnamon Almond Bars. Their unique blend of flavors and delightful crunch are sure to make them a new favorite. Don’t let your culinary journey end here! Dive into our extensive collection of other delicious, chef-developed cookie recipes, ranging from classic comforts to exciting new creations. Happy baking!
