One of my most loyal (and cookie-excitable) followers from work had a birthday last week, so I obviously had to bake something for her.

This are actually pretty similar to the super popular PB&J Bars, but read on anyway! 

I’m breaking my standard photo format for this one to show you my NEW 6-Qt Kitchenaid mixer in all its glory.

Happy Chrismukkah to me!

Back to business.

Step 1: Gather ingredients: Flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, sliced almonds, butter, cinnamon, fruit jam, ginger. 

I’m not really sure what I was thinking. Ginger was not called for. Don’t worry, I didn’t use it by accident. Also, I couldn’t find sliced almonds at the store I was at, so I substituted slivered.

Step 2: Beat butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. 

Doesn’t that mixer look so great on the counter?

Step 3: Whisk together flour, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. 

My Martha Stewart whisk is working out great.

Step 4: Add egg to butter/sugar mixture. 

Step 5: Stir in flour mixture. 

Step 6: Press half of dough into parchment-lined pan. 

Step 7: Whisk jam to loosen.

Loosen?

Step 8: Spread jam, leaving 1/4-inch border. 

That’s about right. Right?

Step 9: Sprinkle remaining dough over top. 

Step 10: Bake to perfection. 

You have to let these cool completely before cutting, so I had to take them to work and cut them there. I’m not used to baking in the morning. That must be why I grabbed the ginger.

Link to original recipe

Yields: 16-18
I got: 16

Start time: 7:35 (AM!)
End time: 8:30 (55 mins)
Martha’s estimated time: 1 hour

What did I learn?

• Baking in the morning can be stressful.
• My new mixer is great.

What do I need to learn? 

• Should I have used more dough on the bottom to have the specks of jam show through the top like hers?
• Wait, why do mine look NOTHING LIKE HERS?
• These were crumbly. Was it because I used slivered instead of sliced almonds?

I have a laser portrait backdrop in my office, so obviously:

Happy birthday, Lauren. I hope you enjoyed them!