It doesn’t get much better than a buttery, crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth shortbread. Tender and delicious, these Chocolate Stuffed Shortbread Bars are made with a combination of regular flour and almond flour. With a layer of chocolate in the middle, these bars are simplicity at its finest.
This may not have been the prettiest bake to photograph, but oh my goodness is it a tasty one to eat. The shortbread is tender and buttery, enhanced with plenty of vanilla flavor. As for the layer of chocolate in the middle, well who doesn’t want a bit of chocolate in every bite?
Does anyone else have a bit too much Easter candy lying around? I was doing so well at not touching any sweets beyond a square of dark chocolate at night and now I find myself tempted with the remnants of Easter weekend (my willpower is literally all or nothing).
These bars are the perfect way to use up some extra candy if you find yourself grabbing for yet another peanut butter bunny. Chop up the chocolate and layer it over the first layer of shortbread, cover with a second layer of shortbread, and you have these Chocolate Stuffed Shortbread Bars. Of course, you can also use regular old chocolate chips as I did or even a chocolate spread if that’s what you have on hand.
When you make the shortbread dough, don’t be alarmed when it’s a bit crumbly. This is how it’s meant to be. When you put the shortbread into your lined baking pan, it’ll come together as you press it in. The light brown sugar and almond flour in these shortbread bars makes them soft and tender, simple and delicious.
| Prep Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 40-45 minutes |
| Passive Time | 10 minutes |
| Servings |
bars
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- 226 grams unsalted butter softened
- 113 grams light brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 250 grams all purpose flour
- 102 grams almond flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 150 grams chocolate chips or chopped chocolate candy
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line an 8" x 8" pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using a hand mixer, cream together the softened butter and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. This should only take a couple of minutes at a medium speed. Add in the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, almond flour, and salt. Add half of these dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat, on low, until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and mix until you have a crumbly dough that can easily be squeezed together with your fingers.
- Pour half of the crumbly shortbread mix into your prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula or clean fingers, press the shortbread into the bottom of the pan until you have a smooth layer of shortbread. Spread the chocolate into an even layer. Cover with the other half of the shortbread dough. Like before, use a rubber spatula or clean fingers to press the shortbread down. The crumbs will come together as you press.
- Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes. The edges will turn golden brown and the middle will still feel a bit soft. Remove from the oven.
- While still in the pan, slice into 12 bars about 2" x 2 1/2" inches inside (or 2" x 2" if you want to get 16 servings out). Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment paper to lift out the bars. Using a large knife, slice along the cuts you made and transfer the bars to a wire rack to cool.