Guava Jam Bars (Printable View)

Buttery cookie bars with sweet guava jam and golden streusel topping.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Base and Streusel

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Filling

08 - 1 cup guava jam or guava paste, softened

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - Add cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter or fingertips, blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Add the egg and vanilla extract. Mix until combined and a crumbly dough forms.
05 - Press about two-thirds of the dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the base layer.
06 - Gently spread the guava jam over the base, leaving a small border around the edges.
07 - Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the jam layer to create a streusel topping.
08 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden.
09 - Cool completely in the pan before lifting out and cutting into 16 bars.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The combination of buttery shortbread and bright guava feels like sunshine on a cloudy day
  • These bars come together in under an hour but taste like they came from a fancy bakery
  • They freeze beautifully, making them your secret weapon for unexpected guests
02 -
  • Warm dough becomes tough and loses its ability to create those tender, flaky layers
  • Room temperature jam spreads more easily and does not tear the delicate base layer
03 -
  • If your dough feels too soft to work with, chill it for 15 minutes before pressing it into the pan
  • Mixing a handful of toasted pecans into the streusel adds a nutty crunch that takes these bars over the top
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