Raspberry Shortbread Bars

Soft and buttery raspberry shortbread bars feature a shortbread crust, fresh raspberry filling, and lots of buttery crumbs baked on top.

Not to be dramatic or anything, but that stack up there is probably the one thing standing between you and your life being complete.

We’ve got a shortbread crust, double-raspberry filling, and buttery crumbs on top and trust me, it’s even more killer than it sounds.

Don’t leave a pan of this goodness unguarded is all I’m saying.

These bars seriously could not be easier to whip up and the best part is that the crust and streusel topping is the same recipe! All the components come together so fast and you definitely don’t need to be an advanced baker either.

The only requirement is that you’re an advanced shortbread eater, meaning get ready to consume a lot of these.

These Shortbread Bars feature…

• A soft, buttery shortbread crust
• Sweet and tangy fresh raspberry filling
• Streusel topping baked on top
• Ready in only an hour with a handful of ingredients

Making the Shortbread Bars

(scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe)

Ingredients You Will Need

• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Raspberries
• Honey
• Cornstarch
• Lemon juice
• Raspberry jam

Fresh vs. Frozen Raspberries

These bars work great with both fresh and frozen raspberries. If you decide to go the frozen route I recommend waiting to remove the raspberries from the freezer until just before assembly.

Tips for Perfect Shortbread Bars

1. Cream softened butter with sugar – this builds the fat base to the shortbread.
2. Measure flour correctly – I use the spoon-and-level technique for measuring flour as this will prevent over-measuring your flour. Use a spoon to scoop flour into the measuring cup, then level with the back of a knife.
3. Divide shortbread crumbs – like I mentioned before, the crust and the streusel are the same dough! Set aside 1 cup of crumbs for the topping and pat the rest into the pan for the crust.
4. Use a combination of raspberry jam and raspberries – using both jam and fresh/frozen raspberries gives these bars a ton of raspberry flavor.
5. Bake shortbread until edges are golden brown – the topping won’t brown very much for this recipe. Your biggest indicator that the bars are done will be when the edges turn a light golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
6. Allow bars to cool before slicing – letting the bars cool completely before slicing helps them set up and makes for clean cuts.

Recipe Variations

Try these ideas for a different twist on these bars.

• Try a different fruit – diced strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries all work great in this recipe.
• Add citrus – fold 1 tablespoon grated lemon, lime, or orange zest into shortbread dough.
• Top bars with a glaze – try topping bars with a simple powdered sugar glaze.

Storing and Freezing Bars

Allow bars to cool completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 4 days.

To freeze bars, allow to cool completely, then wrap well and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw bars completely at room temperature and store up to 4 days.

Every component of these bars is an absolute dream together. The buttery shortbread just melts in your mouth and pairs SO well with the tangy raspberry filling and all that buttery streusel baked on top.

Get ready to eat way too many of these, you’ve been warned.

Save this recipe using the ‘save to recipe box’ button below. If you make it, please let us know! Leave a comment + star rating below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram with #wholeandheavenlyoven.

Try these other shortbread desserts next!

• Oatmeal Pumpkin Shortbread Bars
• Lemon Shortbread Cookies
• Butter Pecan Shortbread Cookies

This post was updated with new recipe adjustments and photos on 4/11/25.