Bee Sting Bars
Buttery shortbread is stopped with a sticky sweet honey almond topping for these easy Bee Sting Bars.
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:
Press it out into an 8×8 pan:
Combine all almond syrup ingredients in a saucepan, and bring to a full boil:
Pour the almond topping on top of the shortbread and bake. Cut into squares and enjoy!
Bee Sting Bars
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
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
39 Comments on “Bee Sting Bars”
Thank you for you research and creativity…I made these and they are wonderful….going to double the recipe next time….
Hi Kate, I always love to hear when people make my food, especially when it turns out so well! Thanks for letting me know and I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Those look sinfully good yet so easy to put together, great photos.
What a delicious looking bite of sweetness!
Those look amazing! I’m not sharing them on Facebook though… I’ll pin them. Woo hoo!
I think you are so right you just have to keep taste testing things until you can find out what is inside the foods you love. Twice in a week…. 3 times in a week, Whatever it takes. Glad you went the extra time just to get those measurements correct for us the readers. Take care, BAM
I would go there twice a day for these as well! And that topping would be delicious on a cake as well…
I’m so impressed.. even more so because you created these on your own!! Wow!
When I first saw these, my mouth flew open and I begin to slightly drool at work lol. Joanne, you just have this ability to make me want to cook everything you feature here 🙂
Oh my gosh, these are seriously my kind of dessert (no chocolate!!!) 😉 I can see why you fell in love with the bakery if they had treats like this. They look and sound delicious!
OMG this sounds right up my alley!!! delicious looking!
I could probably just sit down and enjoy savoring the topping itself. 🙂
Have a great weekend!
Oh these look lovely. I really like that you did not use bleached almonds, those inner skins give these bars such a nice look.
You know that feeling when you’re craving something but you can’t put a finger on what you want exactly? I just figured it out. THIS is what I want! lol
I think it is great that you were so inspired with these that you researched and re-made your own version at home. Shortbread and amaretto sounds like a delicious pairing, saving this recipe. Have a great weekend!
Thanks for sharing, this definitely looks amazing, I want to make it tonight!!
Just one question.
When you say refrigerate for 30 minutes, do you include the pan? And then, should O bake the cold pan?
Hi Gaby, Yes, just pop the whole pan in the fridge for 30 minutes (with the shortbread pressed inside), then you take it out of the fridge, pour on/spread the almond topping on it, then place it into the oven to bake. Let me know how they turn out, my husband and I just think they’re heavenly!
Joanna, you always come with great recipes, this is one is just perfect…!!!