Blackberry Jam Almond Bars

These blackberry cookie bars are great for lunch boxes, see the action shot of a blackberry bar prepped to pack below. I bet omitting the blackberry and adding sprinkles of mini-chocolate chips would have good results too. These were very good.

Blackberry Jam Almond Bars

1 cup butter (room temperature)
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 eggs
3 cups unbleached flour
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup blackberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a jelly roll pan then cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Add flour and salt (don't over mix). Spread batter into pan. Drop teaspoonfuls of jam evenly over the batter. Take a butter knife and cut through jam to create swirls. (I wasn't too successful at the "even" distribution of jam - the swirls were pretty and looked like I meant to bake the bars that way.) Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.*

Recipe Source: (Complete recipe with drizzle) Blackberry Jam Almond Bars from Elissa at 17 and Baking

*I edited the recipe down to how I cook. The recipe (with drizzle recipe and instructions), fabulous cookie bar photos and the story of college letters rolling in are a snapshot of life and a good post.