Raspberry Bars

These bars have a rich, buttery crust, a flavorful raspberry filling and a drizzle of icing on top! They're easy to put together and hard to resist!

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My sister-in-law introduced me to this recipe and I'm SO glad she did! It's a recipe that's been in her family for quite some time and I knew it would be a hit on the blog - it's easy, beautiful, and tastes amazing.

Before we get into the recipe details, I thought it would be fun to share a little bit about my brother's wife, Krista. I actually met her before my brother did. You see, Krista and I were both at Iowa State majoring in food science, so we had numerous classes together.

One day we were in a small class and before the professor arrived, we were chit-chatting about plans for the evening. I told her that my brother's birthday was the next day, so I was going to go back to my apartment and make an apple pie for him. I didn't think much of that conversation at the time, but fast forward a year or two and it turns out that it was a memorable one.

Krista later told me that when I mentioned I had an older brother, she thought to herself "well Kelsey's nice, so I'm sure her older brother is too" and hoped she'd get an opportunity to meet him. Well not too long after, they cross paths at an event they were both helping at. And a couple months later, Pat brought Krista home to meet the family.

When Krista woke up that Saturday morning and walked down the stairs, Pat saw her and said "Good morning, angel!" I'm pretty sure my other siblings and I almost died of holding our laughter and amazement inside. (If you know Pat, you know that just wasn't like him!) I remember Mom saying "Yep, he's going to marry her."  And you know what they say, the rest is history!

I love having Krista in the family for many, many reasons, but it's wonderful to have a fellow food scientist in the family. It's fun to discuss recipes with someone who understands ingredient interactions (much better than I do 99% of the time!). It's also pretty cool that she made me an aunt during my bachelorette party.....it sure made for a memorable night! And most importantly, she makes my brother happy and is the best mom to my nieces and nephew. The fact that she shares amazing recipes with me is just the icing on the cake! (Or shall I say....the icing on the raspberry bars?!) 😉

Could I use a pre-made filling?

Yes! You can certainly use 2 cups of canned raspberry pie filling instead. And if you're feeling adventurous, try other flavors like blueberry or cherry!

Can I make this without almond extract?

Absolutely. I love almond extract, but if you aren't, you could simply replace it with the same amount of vanilla. You can't go wrong with vanilla!

How will I know when my raspberry bars are done?

They will be a light golden brown on top. Be sure to cook them on the center rack of your oven, so there's even browning on the top and bottom of the bars. I'd recommend keeping them in the pan to cool, so they're easier to cut in nice squares.....unless you just can't wait. I've been there too 😉

Other Desserts that Use Raspberries

Raspberry Cake

Raspberry Zinger Cake

Raspberry Danish

Added to the Weekend Potluckand Menu Plan Monday.