Raspberry Chews

Raspberry chews are three distinct textures stacked in one pan: a tender shortbread base, a sticky raspberry jam middle, and a crunchy-chewy almond meringue top. Cut into small squares, they walk a fine line between bar cookie and candy.

The shortbread base uses egg yolks only, which gives it a richer, more tender crumb than a typical butter-sugar-flour base. Spreading it evenly in the pan and baking until just golden is what sets up the whole bar. Soft base means soggy, overbaked base means hard.

The meringue is the other signature move. Whipped egg whites folded with sugar and chopped almonds spread on top, then a long slow bake at 350°F (175°C) turns the meringue into that addictive almost-marshmallow texture with a crackly lid.

Pro Tips

• Use seedless jam. Seeded jam makes the cutting gritty and the finished cookie feels sandy.
• Separate the eggs cold, whip the whites at room temperature for maximum volume.
• Spread the jam all the way to the edges so every square has a middle layer.
• Let the pan cool completely before cutting or the layers slide apart.

Variations

• Swap raspberry for apricot jam or lemon curd for a different fruit direction.
• Use toasted hazelnuts or pecans instead of almonds.
• Add a quarter teaspoon of almond extract to the shortbread base for extra marzipan notes.