These are everyday treats! But around the Christmas holidays in Scandinavia between the winter solstice and New Year’s Day, these Danish Raspberry Bars (Hindbærsnitter) bring dazzle, sparkle, luster, and fun to the celebrations. They give light to the darkest days of the year and shimmer like the aurora borealis in the northern sky. I love them, kids love them, and Danes everywhere remember cozy times from their childhood.
Looking a bit like cookie sandwiches, their layers are simple and clear. The two layers of pastry hug a raspberry jam filling. A powdered sugar and lime icing dotted with colorful sprinkles completes the treat. There is a widely repeated story that the beloved Danish fairytale author Hans Christian Andersen preferred “hindbærsnitter” over all Danish pastries.
For a Christmas theme, besides the traditional White icing, I decided to use Red and Green food coloring to create a seasonal vibe. These Danish Raspberry Bars (Hindbærsnitter) are perfect for individual snacks, larger parties and family gatherings. If you are interested in other Danish Christmas ideas, check out my Bishop Absalon’s Deluxe Danish Nut Bread.
THE PASTRY DOUGH
I always use Cake Flour and Almond Flour for this recipe. Cake Flour has a lower level of protein and is perfect with making pastries. But if either or both flours are unavailable, an All-Purpose Flour works well. Always sift the Flour to make a smoother dough. For a special taste, I added Rum Aroma. The recipe will make two sets of Raspberry Bars in 12 slices.
THE ICING
The Icing is very easy to prepare. The traditional recipe only requires Water and Powered Sugar. For a more tangy and unique taste, I mix in Lime Juice and Orange Juice. The Green and Red Colorings are optional and you can skip this if you prefer the traditional White Color.
INGREDIENTS:
I hope you will enjoy making these Danish Raspberry Bars. They are so cute and fun to make. They are great for snacks and desserts. You can also try out different colors for more fun events!
MORE DESSERT RECIPES:
Easy Mini Matcha and Chocolate Cheesecake
Rich and Tangy Lime Cheesecake
Luscious Double-Cream Lemon Bundt Cake
Epic 30-Layer Chocolate Crepe Cake
Dazzling Danish Raspberry Bars (Hindbærsnitter – not Pop Tarts)
Ingredients
- Raspberry Jam
The Dough
- 2 1/4 cups Cake Flour
- 1/4 cup Almond Flour
- 140 g Butter, cold, cut in small cubes
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Egg, large
- 1 tsp Vanilla Paste
- 1 tsp Rum Aroma
The Icing
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
- 1.5 tbsp Lime Juice
- 1 tbsp Orange Juice
- Red Coloring (optional)
- Green Coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Make the Pastry Sheets
- In a mixing bowl, sift the Cake Flour and Almond Flour. Add in the cold Butter. Using a stand mixer on low speed, blend the Flour and Butter together.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and sift in the Powered Sugar and Baking Powder. Add the Egg, Vanilla Paste and Rum Aroma. Using the stand mixer on low, mix well.
- Remove the dough and form it into a ball. Put in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Cut the dough in half. This dough can make two sets of Bars, about a dozen slices total.
- Using a sheet of baking paper which fits the size of your baking pan, dust with some flour. Use a rolling pin to roll out the first half of the dough into a rectangular shape of around 20cm x 40 cm.
- Use a kitchen ruler to measure the size into a perfect rectangle. Use a knife or a pizza cutter to perfect the shape. Then cut the rectangle in half, leaving a small space in between the two sheets.
- Bake the pastry sheets in a preheated oven at 180 C (350 F) for 8-9 minutes or until the edges turn slightly brown. Do not over-bake.
Prepare the Icing
- In a bowl, mix together the Powdered Sugar, Lime Juice and Orange Juice.
- Separate the icing into 3 portions. Add the Red Food Coloring in one portion and the Green Food Coloring in another. Mix well. You can adjust the colors by adding more or less coloring according to your preference.
Assemble the Raspberry Bars
- Remove the pastry sheets from the oven and cool for a minute or two. Spread a layer of Raspberry Jam on one sheet. A thin layer is fine.
- Gently place the other sheet exactly matched on top of the Jam.
- Use a sharp knife to cut the Raspberry Bar into three equal squares. Wipe the knife clean after each cut.
- Add the Green Icing on one square. Use a spoon to gently spread the icing and then quickly add some Sprinkles on top. Repeat with the other two squares (Red and White icing and sprinkles).
- Then cut each square in half. You will have six big bars.
- Repeat the entire procedure with the other dough ball. You will have a dozen bars total. Or you can cut these in half again for two dozen bite-sized treats.
- Ready to enjoy!
Notes
- You can store the Hindbærsnitter in the freezer for fast snacks.
- You can also use other food coloring for the icing in different colors. You can even mix two colors into one.
- If you don’t have raspberry jam, you can try strawberry jam for a different flavor.
*Special thanks to my bf for helping me with this recipe!
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DK
Hi from Canada, Haini!
This is a lovely recipe, thank you for sharing. The bars are pretty and delicious and not hard to make.
I am glad I watched the video first because when I was following the recipe, I was surprised at how the dough was so dry after mixing in the egg and vanilla, but came together so nicely when I used my hands, just like in your video.
I only used vanilla in the dough (no rum) and orange juice for the icing and it was delicious!
Hi Nat, thanks for letting me know. I’m glad to hear that you’ve tried the recipe. Yes the dough can be a little bit dry to start with but it will all come together. You can try adding rum next time when you make it again. Yes I agree the Orange Juice (Lime Juice) make the icing taste so good. Hope you also give other recipes a try. It’s lovely to hear from you.