Vienna Bars are an interesting bar cookie you don't see very often. I first discovered them while reading about famous POTUS and their favorite desserts. The Vienna Bars were said to be Ronald Reagan's favorite. I can see why. He loved jelly beans and these bars are a sweet and filled with jam.
Vienna Bars Texture and Flavor
Vienna Bars have a short, buttery bottom layer, a soft, preserve filled second layer, and a crispy light top layer of meringue so there's a contrast of textures in every bite. The crust is light and crumbly. Over the years I've experimented with using things like cornstarch and rice flour, but for the sake of simplicity I'm keeping these with all-purpose flour. It works just fine. For the filling, use your very favorite raspberry preserves. I like Polaner All-Fruit. And for the nuts, you can use whatever you like. I've tested with almonds, pecans, walnuts and macadamia nuts. I don't recommend whole roasted almonds, but slivered almonds would be okay. Macadamia nuts also work in a pinch.
This recipe gives you a rather small batch, or one sized perfectly for the family rather than a large group The original version is double this and calls for a 15x10 inch or 9x13 inch pan. This version can be made in either a 9-inch square pan or an 8-inch square pan. The 8-inch pan will give you slightly thicker bars and the time may take a little longer.
Recipe
Vienna Bars
Ingredients
Buttery Crust
- 1 stick salted butter, softened 4 oz salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 large egg yolk separated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided use
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour (190 grams)
Filling and Topping
- 2 large egg whites
- ⅔ cup cold raspberry pie filling or seedless preserves Can use more or less
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels leave out if you want
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts coarsely chopped and toasted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8 inch or 9 inch square metal pan with nonstick foil.
- With an electric mixer, beat butter, ¼ cup of the sugar, egg yolk (reserve whites) and ½ teaspoon of the vanilla and salt. Stir in flour. If necessary, use your hands to mix all ingredients, but do not over beat. Press into bottom of lined pan and bake for 18-20 minutes or until lightly brown around edges.
- Remove from oven and let cool for about 10 minutes. Spread cold (this helps keep the chocolate morsels from melting too much) raspberry pie filling or preserves over crust. Sprinkle chocolate morsels over raspberry filling.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then gradually add remaining ½ cup sugar, beating until peaks are stiff. Beat in vanilla.
- Spread the egg white mixture over raspberries and chocolate. Return to oven and bake for about 22-25 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes. Using parchment as handle, lift from pan. Cut into 12 squares.
Adria says
I just took my Vienna Bars out of the oven! They turned out perfectly. My husband said they look decadent. Yum!Thanks! What a great Christmas cookie.
Anna says
Thanks, Ginger! It's fixed now.
Ginger says
This cookie bar is absolutely delicious! I had to back-track while making the cookie base though, because "cream butter with sugar" was omitted from the recipe. Luckily, I was able to add the butter after following the recipe as written, and the dough still came together okay.
This is one of the best cookies I have ever tasted, plus it's gorgeous!
robyn says
I'm on my way over right now. Those look SOOOO good!
Anna says
Ali, I'll put a Vienna square in the mail for you ;).Jen, I'm obsessed with finding a cookie to match that song. Suzi, hippies are welcome at my blog! ;).
suzi says
great blog! i love to bake cookies and will definitely have to try some of the one you have posted. i love austin! i was born there and my mom and i lived in a hippie commune in buda for a few months. 🙂
Jen says
I lost my lucky ball and chain, now she's four years gone. . .:-)Hmmm, what cookie would go with that?These bars look great although I'll have to live vicariously through you - I'm lazy and tend to skip anything involving a meringue layer.
Alicat says
Mmmmmmmmmmm!!! That looks so good! 🙂