My mom’s stash of coil-bound church cookbooks gave me these chewy, gooey Chocolate Raspberry Bars, and they turned a raspberry jam skeptic into a big fan.
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I wasn’t sure about chocolate with raspberry jam when I first read the recipe, and there was no glossy photo to win me over. One pan changed my mind!
To make this recipe, I press a buttery brown sugar crust into a 9×13-inch pan, then layer on melted chocolate, condensed milk, more crumbs, spoonfuls of raspberry jam and chocolate chips.
What You’ll Learn
- How I make one crumb mixture for the crust and topping.
- Why low heat matters for the chocolate layer.
- How to make it without a food processor.
- The best way to get clean squares.
Why You’ll Love These Raspberry Chocolate Bars
These bars are a little chewy, a little gooey and even a little crispy around the edges. That mix of rich chocolate and tart raspberry jam tastes much fancier than it is.
They’re a wonderful dessert for the winter holidays, and they look so pretty on a tray. One reader gives these chocolate raspberry squares to neighbors at Christmas, and another makes them a couple of times a month.
They’re rich, so a small square goes a long way, and one pan feeds a crowd. That makes them great for a cookie swap, a church dinner or a bake sale, along with my Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies and Cookie Dough Truffles.
If you’re planning a holiday dessert table, my famous Pumpkin Crunch Cake and Melt-in-Your-Mouth Pumpkin Cookies would be happy right next to them.
Chocolate Raspberry Bars Ingredient Notes
This is a short list of simple ingredients, but a few of them deserve a closer look.
Cold butter: Keep it cold, because that’s what gives you a crumbly crust and topping instead of a greasy one. Salted or unsalted butter both work.
Raspberry jam: I use seedless raspberry jam. One reader used homemade jam, and I’ll bet that turned out extra good. A tart jam is best against all of that chocolate.
Semisweet chocolate chips: These go in the filling and on top. Dark chocolate chips work if you like less sugar, but milk chocolate chips may make the bars too sweet.
Sweetened condensed milk: Melted with the chips, it makes the soft, fudgy layer in the middle.
How to Make Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13-inch pan. Pulse the flour, brown sugar, salt and cold butter in a food processor until you have coarse crumbs.
Set some of the crumbs aside for the topping, then press the rest into the prepared pan. Bake the crust until it’s light golden brown.
Meanwhile, melt the condensed milk with half of the chocolate chips in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring the whole time. Spread that over the warm crust and sprinkle on the saved crumbs.
Drop small spoonfuls of raspberry jam over the top, scatter on the rest of the chips and bake until the filling is set.
Your amounts and step-by-step directions are all in the recipe card below, so check that before you start measuring.
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My Best Tips
- Stay on low heat. Condensed milk scorches easily, so keep the heat low and keep stirring until the chips melt.
- Chill the topping. I keep the saved crumbs in the fridge until I need them, so the butter stays cold.
- Press the crust firmly. A firm, even layer holds together when you cut the bars. The bottom of a measuring cup works well.
- Cool them completely. Warm bars fall apart. Let the pan cool all the way on a wire rack, then chill it if you want extra clean squares.
- Line the pan. A sheet of parchment paper with extra hanging over the sides lets you lift the whole batch out for easy slicing.
Substitutions & Variations
Strawberry jam: A reader asked about this for a husband who isn’t a raspberry fan. It’s a plain swap, and any seedless jam you like will work.
Walnuts: One reader sprinkles walnuts on top. Add a handful with the last of the chocolate chips.
No food processor: Use a pastry cutter or two forks to work the cold butter into the flour and sugar until you have coarse crumbs. It takes a little longer, but it works just fine.
Gluten-free: One reader makes these gluten-free regularly. I haven’t tried it, but a cup-for-cup flour blend is the place to start.
How to Store Leftovers
Room temperature: Keep the bars covered in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigerator: They’ll keep for up to 1 week. One reader prefers them cold, and I can see why, because they turn extra fudgy.
Freezer: I haven’t frozen these myself, but rich bars like this usually freeze well. Wrap them tightly in layers with parchment paper and freeze for up to 3 months.
Chocolate Raspberry Bars FAQs
Can I freeze Chocolate Raspberry Bars?
I haven’t frozen them myself, but they should do well. Cut them first, wrap them with parchment paper between the layers and thaw them in the fridge.
Are Chocolate Raspberry Bars hard to make?
They have a few layers, but none are tricky. A food processor makes the crumbs fast. One reader without one found that step harder, so use a pastry cutter and give yourself extra time.
When is a good time to make these?
Any time you need a special treat. One reader makes them for a Valentine’s party every year, and they make a lovely gift at Christmas.
How do I get clean squares?
Cool the bars all the way, then chill the pan. Use a long, sharp knife, and wipe it clean between cuts.
Are these like raspberry crumb bars?
Yes, with a fudgy layer added. Think of these as chocolate raspberry crumb bars. You get the same buttery crust and crumb topping, with semi sweet chocolate in the middle.
What size baking pan do I need?
I use a 9×13-inch baking pan. A smaller pan makes thicker bars that need more time in the oven.
Can I use white chocolate chips?
Yes, on top. I’d keep the semi sweet chocolate in the middle layer, then scatter white chocolate over the jam if you’d like a prettier pan.
Do Chocolate Raspberry Bars need to be refrigerated?
No. They’re fine covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, though you can refrigerate them if your kitchen is warm or you like them cold.
Why did my crust fall apart?
Soft butter or a loosely pressed crust is usually the reason. Use cold butter, press the crumbs in firmly and let the bars cool completely before you cut them.
Can I use regular jam with seeds?
Yes. Seedless jam gives you a smoother filling, but regular raspberry jam tastes just as good, and you may not even notice the seeds.
The best recipes don’t always come from fancy magazines. Sometimes they’re hiding in a little coil-bound cookbook at your mom’s house, with no photo at all!
More Easy Dessert Bars
Chocolate Raspberry Bars
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ÂĽ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cold butter
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
- â…” cup seedless raspberry jam
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13x2 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Add the flour, sugar, salt and the cold butter into a food processor. Process until coarse crumbs are formed. Set aside a little less than half of the mixture for the topping. I kept it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Press the remaining crumbs into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 12 minutes or until light golden brown.
- Add the condensed milk and half of the chocolate chips to a small sauce pan. Over low heat stir constantly until chips are completely melted. Pour the chocolate mixture over the baked crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture evenly over the top of the chocolate.
- Drop the raspberry jam by the teaspoonful evenly over the top of the crumb mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of the chips.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until filling is set. Completely cool on a wire rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is an estimate from an online calculator, not medical advice, and depends on your portion size.
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I have made these bars for several years and they are delicious! However I would not say they are easy to make. I tried to crumb the initial butter and sugar etc and not having a food processor it made it difficult and had to use a pastry blender
and my fingers. Not bad but it took a while
Followed directions, turned out amazing!!! I will definitely be making these again!
These were very easy to assemble. I used my own homemade raspberry jam. I Plan to give my two favorite neighbors these as a little Christmas sharing. I enjoy old church cookbooks too. These could be a fair entry next August. Merry ChristmasÂ
I’ll bet they turned out extra-good with your homemade jam! ♥️
What if you don’t have food processorÂ
Do you think these would freeze well? They look delicious!
I love these bars! Do you think I could use strawberry jam in place of the raspberry? My husband isn’t a fan of raspberry.Â
Do these need to be refrigerated?
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Why don’t you post nutritional information so those of us on weight watchers points can figure out what the points would be
Hi Cheryl, thanks for the feedback, and I agree that the recipes need this! When I started blogging back in 2006, this wasn’t such an issue. I currently have hundreds of recipes to add nutritional information on and I’m just one person so it’s getting done slow and steady. My new recipes all have the nutritional info and I’ll get to this one soon. I appreciate your patience, thank you! :)
Seems to me that this question could be asked more respectfully. You also can figure out this information easily on your own with any one of a number of nutrition calculators online. I like MyFitnessPal app or the Sparkpeople website.
I made these last night and they were wonderful. My husband had to have seconds. I t added some walnuts. I am have to have walnuts in just about every desert. Thank you for sharing the recipe.Â