Apricot Almond Cream Cheese Squares 🍑🥥
Overview:
This delightful recipe for Apricot Almond Cream Cheese Squares is a treasure passed down from a friend’s house party and now a staple in gatherings I host. 🎉 These bars are a harmonious blend of buttery, flaky crust, creamy cheese filling, and the sweet tang of apricot preserves. Perfect for dessert tables or a delightful treat with coffee! ☕
Recipe Info:
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 36 bars
- Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Category: Bar Cookie
- Keywords: Dessert, Cookie & Brownie, Fruit, Nuts, < 60 Mins
Nutritional Info (per serving):
- Calories: 175.5
- Fat: 8.4g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1g
- Cholesterol: 19.9mg
- Sodium: 155.9mg
- Carbohydrates: 24.4g
- Fiber: 0.6g
- Sugar: 13.9g
- Protein: 2g
Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Butter | 1 cup |
| Cream cheese | 1/2 cup |
| Sugar | 1/2 cup |
| Flour | 1 1/2 cups |
| Salt | 1 tsp |
| Vanilla extract | 1/4 tsp |
| Egg | 2 |
| Coconut | 1/8 cup |
| Apricot preserves | 1 cup |
Instructions:
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Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).
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Prepare Pan: Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan with butter, ensuring a well-coated surface.
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Create Base Mix: In a large bowl, combine the cake mix and melted butter. Mix at low speed until the mixture becomes crumbly.
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Add Almonds: Stir in the almonds until they are evenly distributed in the mixture.
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Reserve Base Mix: Set aside 1 cup of the base mixture for later use.
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Press Base Mixture: Press the remaining base mixture evenly into the bottom of the greased pan. This will form the deliciously buttery crust of your squares.
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Spread Preserves: Carefully spread 1-1/2 cups of the apricot preserves over the base mixture, ensuring an even layer.
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Prepare Cream Cheese Filling: In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese, sugar, flour, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs until the mixture is smooth and well-blended.
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Add Preserves to Filling: At low speed, mix in 1/3 cup of the apricot preserves into the cream cheese mixture.
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Layer Cream Cheese Filling: Carefully spread the cream cheese filling over the apricot preserves layer in the pan.
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Create Topping: Combine the reserved 1 cup of base mixture with the coconut. This will form a deliciously crunchy and flavorful topping.
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Sprinkle Topping: Evenly sprinkle the coconut and base mixture topping over the cream cheese layer.
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Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the center is set.
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Cool & Chill: Allow the squares to cool completely, then refrigerate overnight. This chilling step allows the flavors to meld and the bars to set perfectly.
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Cut & Serve: Once chilled, cut the bars into small, delightful squares. They are now ready to be served and enjoyed!
Tips & Tricks:
- For a nutty twist, try using toasted almonds or even pecans in the base mixture.
- These squares are best served chilled, making them a perfect make-ahead dessert for parties.
- Experiment with different fruit preserves such as raspberry or peach for unique flavor combinations.
- Dust the tops with powdered sugar for a beautiful finish before serving.
Final Thoughts:
These Apricot Almond Cream Cheese Squares are a delightful marriage of flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion. 🌟 Whether you’re hosting a party or simply craving a sweet treat, these bars are sure to impress with their buttery crust, creamy filling, and fruity apricot notes. Enjoy the compliments as your guests savor every bite of these indulgent squares! 🍰✨
