Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bars are chewy, fruity, and full of chocolate — a delightful combination that travels well. These sturdy bars don’t require refrigeration, so they’re an excellent choice for picnics, care packages, or summer treats.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Hot-weather baking and shipping require stable ingredients that resist spoilage. Fresh-fruit bars are wonderful, but they can be fragile in heat and humidity. These Raspberry Chocolate Chip Bars deliver raspberry flavor without fresh fruit, using raspberry jello powder or extract and shortening for a chewy, shelf-stable bar that holds up to summer conditions.
The texture is dense and chewy, the flavor is bright and sweet, and mini chocolate chips add a rich contrast. With minimal fuss and no refrigeration needed, these bars are ideal for care packages, picnics, potlucks, or packing for outdoor events.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. The full, detailed steps are in the recipe card below.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9″ x 9″ square pan with foil, letting the foil overhang the edges; spray the foil with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Place the butter-flavored vegetable shortening in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave about 1 minute, or until melted.
- To the melted shortening, add the flour mixture, granulated sugar, eggs plus the extra yolk, vanilla extract, and raspberry jello powder or raspberry extract. Stir with a large spoon until smooth. If you want a pink hue, add a few drops of pink food coloring gel.
- Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle pink and red nonpareil sprinkles over the top and gently press them with your fingertips so they adhere to the batter.
- Bake 25–30 minutes at 350°F, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- When cool, lift the bars from the pan using the foil overhang and cut into squares.
Storage
Store at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag for up to 10 days. For longer storage, leave the baked square whole and wrap the entire pan or loaf to preserve moisture and chewiness rather than wrapping individual bars.
Tips for summer shipping and fruit
Avoid adding fresh fruit when shipping or storing baked goods in hot weather; fresh fruit adds moisture and sugar that accelerate spoilage and mold. Instead, use dry or concentrated flavorings to get fruit taste without the perishability.
Flavoring options that hold up to baking and shipping include:
- Powdered drink mixes (such as powdered lemonade or berry drink mixes)
- Jello powder (adds flavor and color)
- Concentrated extracts or bakery emulsions (these retain flavor during baking)
Frequently asked questions
Desserts that travel well in hot weather generally don’t require refrigeration, don’t contain perishable fillings (like whipped cream or cream cheese), and avoid ingredients that melt easily. Bars, cookies, and dense cakes made with shortening are good choices.
Choose recipes that use heat-stable ingredients: shortening instead of butter, white sugar rather than moist sweeteners, and no fresh fruit. These choices reduce the chance of spoilage during shipping in warm conditions.
More picnic desserts that don’t need refrigeration
Other dependable picnic-friendly desserts include lemon bars made with sturdy bases, chewy fruit-flavored bars that use extracts instead of fresh fruit, biscotti for a crunchy, dunkable treat, and dense cookie bars like peanut butter chocolate chip bars.
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Chocolate Chip Raspberry Bars
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Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter-flavor vegetable shortening
- 1¼ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon raspberry jello powder OR 2 teaspoons raspberry extract
- 4-7 drops pink food coloring gel optional
- ½ cup mini chocolate chipssemisweet or dark
- 2-3 tablespoons pink and red nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350°F. Line a 9″ x 9″ square pan with foil extending over the edges and spray the foil with nonstick spray.
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Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
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Melt the vegetable shortening in a large microwave-safe bowl (about 1 minute).
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Add the flour mixture, sugar, eggs and yolk, vanilla, and raspberry jello powder or extract to the melted shortening. Mix until smooth.
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If desired, add food coloring gel for a pink color. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
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Spread batter evenly in the pan. Sprinkle nonpareils on top and press gently so they stick.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
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Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then lift out using the foil and cut into bars.
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Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 10 days. For longer storage, leave the batch uncut and wrap the whole square.
Notes
- For a creamier, sweeter twist, substitute all or part of the mini semisweet chips with white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate.
- Instead of sprinkles, you can scatter extra chocolate chips on top before baking for a different look.
Packing tips
- Double-wrap bars individually or in pairs with plastic wrap before placing them in airtight containers or zip-top bags to preserve freshness.
- Keeping the whole pan uncut and wrapped will help preserve moisture and keep the bars chewy for longer.
- For shipping, bake in a disposable square pan and wrap the entire pan for easier packing and handling.
Nutrition
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Carbohydrates: 21g
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Protein: 2g
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Fat: 8g
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Sugar: 16g
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First Published: July 24, 2018. Last Updated: May 5, 2022. Updated for clarity and improved reader experience.