These French Almond Cookie Bars are soft, buttery, and filled with classic almond flavor. Made with a simple cookie dough, each bar has a soft almond filling in the center and bakes to a lightly crisp, golden top. Inspired by French almond croissants but much easier to make.
Notes about the ingredients
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
These bars are made with basic ingredients:
- butter, melted and slightly cooled, warm to the touch, not hot
- white or brown sugar
- all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- milk: room temperature or slightly warmed (about 15 seconds in the microwave)
- vanilla extract
- baking powder
- salt
The only extra is almond flour or almond meal, which is easy to find in most grocery stores.
You’ll use it in both the dough and the filling. Just go with whichever one you have or prefer.
- Almond flour is made from blanched almonds (no skins). It’s finely ground and gives a soft, pale texture.
- Almond meal is made from whole almonds (with skins) and is slightly coarser, with visible brown flecks.
I used almond flour in this recipe and flavored the bars with vanilla extract only.
If you’d like a bolder almond flavor, a small amount (a ¼ teaspoon is usually enough) of almond extract can be added, totally optional.
Topping with sliced or chopped almonds is also optional, but adds a nice decorative finish after baking.
Make the almond filling
Step 1: Add the almond filling ingredients (almond flour, sugar, butter, milk, and extract) to a bowl.
Step 2: Stir until smooth and creamy. Set aside while you make the dough.
Make the cookie dough
Step 3: Dry ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour (plain flour), almond flour, salt and baking powder.
Step 4: Wet ingredients: In another bowl (or large jug), whisk together the melted butter, sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using).
Quick tip
Cold milk can firm up melted butter too fast and make the dough clumpy. Slightly warm the milk to keep it smooth.
Step 5 and 6: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until a soft dough forms.
Assembling the cookie bars
Step 7: Press half the dough into the lined pan to form a thin, even base.
Step 8: Spread the almond filling evenly over the base.
Step 9: Take small pieces of the remaining dough, flatten them slightly, and place them over the filling in a patchwork pattern or like a loose puzzle.
Step 10: Use the back of a spoon or offset spatula to gently smooth the pieces together. Dipping it in hot water helps it glide — no need to dry it off, the water will bake off.
Quick tip
Adding the dough in pieces makes it easier to cover the filling without pressing too hard or disturbing it.
Smoothing the pieces creates an even top, and if a little filling shows through, that’s totally fine! The dough will bake over and still set beautifully.
Step 11. Mark the top lightly into 16 squares using a butter knife. Don’t cut all the way through. Top each square with 3 almond slices (like a flower), and sprinkle with white sugar if you like for a crisp, golden finish.
Step 12: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Don’t overbake, the edges will firm up as the bars cool.
Let cool completely in the pan. Then lift out and slice along the lines you marked earlier.
Storing
Room temperature: Once cooled, store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Refrigerate: For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 1 week
Freeze: For up to 2 months. Let the bars come to room temperature or warm them slightly before serving.
Recipe
French Almond Cookie Bars
Almond filling
- ¾ cup (75 g) almond flour or almond meal (see note 1)
- ⅓ cup (65 g) white sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter, softened (not melted)
- 2½ tablespoons (40 ml) milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Almond Cookie Dough
- ½ cup (115 g) salted melted butter, slightly cooled (warm to the touch, not hot)
- ¾ cup (150 g) white or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk (room temperature or slightly warm)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (155 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 1¼ cups (125 g) almond flour or almond meal
- ¼ teaspoon salt (use ½ teaspoon if using unsalted butter)
- ½ level teaspoon baking powder
Topping before baking (optional)
- Sliced or chopped almonds
- 1 tablespoon white or brown sugar for sprinkling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) or 160°C fan. Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper.
Almond filling
- In a small bowl, stir together almond flour, sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Set aside.
Make the dough
- Dry ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together flour, almond flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Wet ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together melted butter, sugar, milk, and vanilla.
- Combine: Pour the wet into the dry and stir until a soft dough forms.
Assemble
- Press half the dough evenly into the lined pan.
- Add the filling: Spread the almond filling over the base.
- Top with dough: Flatten pieces of the remaining dough and place them in a patchwork over the filling. (see images for guidance)
- Gently smooth them together with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Tip: Dip the spoon in hot water to help the dough spread easily.
- Lightly mark the top into 16 squares with a butter knife (don’t cut through).
Topping (optional)
- Place 3 almond slices in the center of each square and sprinkle with sugar if using.
Bake
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is lightly golden. Don’t overbake. The bars will firm up as they cool.
- Cool and slice: Let cool completely in the pan. Then lift out and slice along the lines you marked earlier.
- Almond flour or almond meal: Use whichever you have or prefer. Almond flour is pale and finely ground (from blanched almonds); almond meal is coarser with specks from the skins.
- Almond extract (optional): Add ¼ teaspoon to the filling or dough for stronger almond flavor.
- Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for 1 week, or freeze for up to 2 months.
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