Ingredients (And Why They Work)

Here’s everything you need to make these irresistible bars:

Shortbread Base & Topping

• 2 cups room-temperature butter
  Makes the crumb tender, soft, and melt-in-your-mouth.

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  Sweetens but also helps the crumb get lightly golden.

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  Enhances the buttery shortbread flavor.

• 2 teaspoons almond extract
  Apricot + almond = perfect flavor marriage.

• 4 cups flour
  Forms the base and topping for the entire dessert.

Center Layer

• 1 (18 oz) jar Smucker’s apricot preserves
  Or any brand you love — apricot works especially well with almond.

• 1 (7–8 oz) package almond paste
  Crumbled into the topping layer for richness, moisture, and depth.

 Step-by-Step Instructions

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