Czech Bars are thick bar cookies with a fruit jam layer in the middle, sandwiched between two layers of a simple, buttery, nutty crust. An Old World recipe, these bars are full of flavor, sweet, and perfect for any occasion.
These delicious bars with walnuts and jam are part of my growing collection of bars and cookies you can find on the blog. A similar recipe with this one is Apricot Oat Bars. If you love Eastern European bars, hereare two favorite ones, Walnut and Jam Bars -Hungarian Londoni Szelet and Mini Turnover Cookies With Jam.
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Why Do I Love This Recipe
These Czech Bars with Jam and Walnuts come from the Commemorative Cookbook of the Episcopal Church in Minnesota. I love church cookbooks because they showcase a state's culture, recipes, and traditions and are great for learning about local cuisine.
Minnesota became my home when I moved to the U.S., so I've always been interested in its culture. With long, cold winters, comfort food like casseroles, cookies, and bars is essential for survival. The state has a significant number of German, Eastern European, and Northern European descendants who are renowned for their baking skills. This is reflected in cookbooks filled with coffee breads, pastries, and bars.
I chose this recipe because it reminds me of one my German grandmother, Herta, used to bake when I was a child. She lived in Transylvania but was born in Bratislava, part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later Czechoslovakia. So, I'm pretty sure this recipe is from that part of the world, adopted by Minnesota, and very similar to what I grew up with.
The recipe is simple, and if you have a jar of strawberry, raspberry, lingonberry, rosehip, or apricot jam, it's time to make these great little bars.
Ingredients Needed
- Unsalted butter at room temperature: I always use unsalted butter in my baking as I want to control the amount that goes into the recipe. In traditional Eastern European recipes like this one, salt is used sparingly to enhance flavors, not to make the dish taste salty. The small amount of salt added to the recipe elevates the natural flavors of the ingredients without overpowering them. Salted butter can introduce too much salt, masking the delicate tastes that make these baked goods unique.
- Granulated sugar
- Large eggs: Large eggs are the standard for baking goods.
- Pinch of salt: Please don't skip it.
- All-purpose flour: Unsifted flour is okay to use, but it's essential to measure it accurately. If you have a kitchen scale, use it for the most precise measurement. If you're using measuring cups, avoid scooping the flour directly from the container, as this can pack in extra flour and lead to using too much. Instead, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until it's full, then level it off with a straight edge.
- Chopped walnuts: Are traditional for Eastern Europe, but pecans are also good.
- Jam: It could be anything you like. (Figs, strawberry, raspberry, peach or apricot, blueberry or rose hip are all good)
How To Make Czech Bars
- Step 1. Make the dough. In a large bowl, beat butter at room temperature with sugar and salt. Add eggs, flour, and walnuts.
- Step 2. Spread the dough in the pan. Half of it should be spread in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Step 3. Spread your favorite jam.
- Step 4. Spread the other half of the dough. Cover the jam with the remaining dough, using your hand to press it down gently.
- Step 5. Bake.
(For complete instructions, please scroll to the bottom of the article for the printable recipe card.)
Expert Tip
Before you cut these bars, make sure you allow them to set properly. Some time in the refrigerator would not be a bad idea, just to give the jam time to settle and the crust to firm up.
How To Serve Czech Bars
The bars are great with a cup of coffee. Try my recipe for Traditional Turkish Coffee, and let me know what you think. These bars are perfect for a lazy Sunday afternoon or a potluck. They also go well for holidays, Christmas parties, and anything else in between.
How To Store Czech Bars
Room temperature: Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Tins are better than plastic, as they keep fresh for longer. Nobody likes soggy cookies!
Freezer: They also freeze well for up to three months, but make sure you don't cut them before. Just cut the baked bar in half and freeze the two parts on top of each other with some parchment paper in between.
Note: If you bake them for Christmas ahead of time, I suggest freezing them. Thaw them at room temperature.
More Recipes To Love
- Jam And Walnut Rugelach Cookies
- Butterscotch Pecan Pie Bars
- 43 Christmas Cookies & Bars From Around The World
- Easy Apple Cake Bars
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Czech Bars with Jam and Walnuts
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts chopped
- ¾ cup Fruit jam figs, strawberry, raspberry or apricot jam
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Beat butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and beat well.
- Gradually add flour and mix well.
- Fold in chopped walnuts.
- Spread ½ batter in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.
- Top with the jam.
- Cover the jam with the remaining batter (It may need to be pressed by hand).
- Bake at 325F for 1 hour.
- Let it cool completely before cutting into squares.
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