Buttery shortbread is stopped with a sticky sweet honey almond topping for these easy Bee Sting Bars. 

Shortbread Fingers with Sticky Honey Almond Topping

Shortbread rocks.

Plain and simple.

Especially when you top it with a honey almond topping, which gives this bar its name.

It’s a spin off a German cake called Bienenstich (bee sting).

I created this recipe after I fell in love with a little bakery called Baked & Wired that had a similar goodie. My first project when I got home? Recreate it.

Here it is:

Make a standard shortbread dough by creaming butter and sugar, then adding flour until the dough is crumbly:

Shortbread Mixture in Stainless Mixing Bowl

Press it out into an 8×8 pan:

Shortbread Cookie Dough Pressed into 8x8 Metal Pan

Combine all almond syrup ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a full boil:

Sliced Almonds Cooked in Salted Honey Mixture

Pour the almond topping on top of the shortbread and bake. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Pinterest Icon

Bee Sting Bars with Honey Almonds

Bee Sting Bars

Servings: 16
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Buttery shortbread is stopped with a sticky sweet honey almond topping for these easy Bee Sting Bars. 
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
15
reviews
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

For the Shortbread:

  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 8.5 oz flour, by weight (1.75 cups, measured)

For the almond topping:

  • 6 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp amaretto
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.25 cups sliced almonds

Instructions 

  • Make the shortbread by creaming together the butter and sugar for a couple minutes until combined. Add the vanilla extract and salt, and mix in. Add the flour and mix until distributed. The dough is going to look extremely crumbly. You should still be able to press it into an 8×8 pan.
  • Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Combine all almond topping ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a full boil over medium high heat. Let it cook for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
  • Pour the almond topping on top of the shortbread and bake for 20 minutes. Let it cool in the pan, then cut it into squares. Enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 255kcal, Carbohydrates: 24g, Protein: 3g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 39mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Author: Joanne Ozug