I have been looking through the recipes that I have bookmarked, trying to find some gems that I had forgotten about. I came across these cookies, called Dutch Letter Bars, and I’m a big fan of anything that uses almond paste. During the holidays, I had stocked up on almond paste, so I had two packages on hand! The original recipe called for 8 ounces of almond paste, but you will often find 7 ounce packages and that’s absolutely fine.
I don’t know anything about Dutch Letter Bars. The blog talks about the tulip festival in Iowa that inspired these bars. I have also heard about the tulip festival in Michigan and also the tulip festival here locally in the Skagit Valley. These bars reminded her of Dutch Letter Bars with their crunchy, sugared top. Ok…I renamed these Almond Paste Bars.
These are super easy to make; my biggest challenge was getting the almond paste mixed in fully. Next time, I think I would mix the butter, almond paste, and sugar until smooth and then add the eggs and flour. I sprinkled the top with 1-2 tablespoons of sugar, and it made a lovely crackly top. These bars are so good- almond paste makes everything so fantastic. These were easy and are such a treat!
1 cup butter
7-8 ounces almond paste
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups flour
Additional sugar
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” x 13” pan with foil and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large mixer bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix until blended and smooth. I found it helpful to break the almond paste into pieces so it blends more easily. Spread the dough evenly in the prepared pan and sprinkle with additional sugar.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the bars are set and light golden in color. Allow the cookies to cool completely before cutting into bars.
Recipe from The House on Silverado
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