Cranberry Bars

Luscious, buttery, sweet and tart, cranberry bars are made with a sweet crumble dough that doubles as a topping. A gorgeous and delicious holiday dessert. If you are in need of some cranberry recipes then I have just the one for you. Save your leftover Christmas cranberry sauce for this recipe and my other one linked below! You won’t be able to eat just one!

I love coming up with cranberry recipes. These cranberry bars are great to make during the holiday. So if you love cranberries or just have too much leftover, try this one out.

Quick and easy desserts are my favorite. Like these cranberry bars or my other or  cranberry cream cheese bread pudding/french toast. Both of my cranberry recipes are simple and ridiculously good.  Golden tops with soft crumble topping and sweet but tart cranberry filling. Yum! One thing I really loved about these cranberry bars is the easy dough.  There’s need to make a separate dough for the crumb topping. How perfect is that?

EASY DOUGH FOR CRUMBLE BARS

This cranberry bar recipe actually uses the same dough for the top AND the bottom crust! Yup. The dough takes only 10 minutes to make (or less).

• In a medium bowl add all of the dough ingredients except for the eggs. Whisk the ingredients well.
• With a pastry cutter, your fingers, fork or food processor, cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form.
• Add the eggs and combine it into the dough using your hands.

Quick tip:

If you are using your hands to cut the butter into the flour, cut the butter as if you are snapping your fingers. It works perfectly plus it’s fun.

Now let’s get to the cranberry sauce.  Use your own homemade cranberry sauce to make this cranberry recipe or my homemade cranberry sauce recipe.

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY BARS

The cranberry sauce is pretty basic.  Add sugar, water, vanilla extract and fresh cranberries into a medium saucepan. Let the cranberries boil for about  7 minutes until the sauce is dark and thick then cool completely.

Once the dough is ready, divide it then press half of the dough evenly into a lightly greased baking pan.  Add the cooled cranberry sauce and spread it evenly all over the top of the dough. Lastly,  crumble the rest of the dough over the top of the cranberries. Lightly press the crumble down with a spoon or spatula. Pop the pan into the oven and that’s pretty much it!

These cranberry bars need to cool for a couple of hours. If you want to cut perfect slices chill them for a couple hours. See notes in the recipe!

WANT USE BLUEBERRIES OR A DIFFERENT FRUIT?

• Mix blueberries or your choice of fruit with 1/3 cup of sugar to 1/2 cup of sugar (depending on the type of berry you use). Some berries tend to be more tart than others.
• two teaspoons of cornstarch
• 2.5 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Proceed with the cranberry recipe below.

Don’t forget to save/pin this cranberry recipe and let me know if you try it. I’d love to know!

If you love this recipe, try my cranberry cream cheese bread pudding/french toast. You can also use your leftover cranberry sauce for this recipe too. It’s Super good!

What’s your favorite cranberry recipe?

Share to save this recipe to your Facebook wall or you can save it to your dip board on Pinterest and let’s be friends I’m always pinning delicious recipes!

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Cranberry Bars

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

35 mins

 

Tart and sweet cranberries are made into a sauce then sandwiched between sweet crumble dough and baked until pale golden.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 12

Author: April

Ingredients

• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp unsalted very cold butter cut into cubes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg lightly beaten

Cranberry filling

• 3/4 cups cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch baking pan. In a medium bowl add all of the dough ingredients except for the eggs. Whisk the ingredients well. With a pastry cutter or fork cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form.  Add the eggs and combine it into the dough using your hands. Alternatively, you could use your food processor.
   

   
   

Cranberry sauce

1. Place all of the cranberry ingredients into a small saucepan over high heat and boil for 6-7 minutes or until the sauce is thick and dark stirring frequently. Place the sauce in a bowl then add the vanilla extract. Stir and set to the side to cool completely.

2. Pour the cooled cranberry mixture or your leftover cranberry sauce evenly over the bottom crust and spread it evenly. Crumble remaining dough over the cranberry sauce.
   

   Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until top is a golden pale color. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

Recipe Notes

• To remove bars easily from the pan, line the pan with two crisscrossed pieces of parchment. Have enough parchment paper so the it overhangs on all side. 
• The bars cut better when they are chilled I usually let mine cool for about 30 minutes then refrigerate for 2-4 hours. If you are in a hurry to eat them then cool completely (30-60 minutes) before cutting.
• Cover tightly and store for up to 5 days.
• Bars can be frozen up to 3 months.

Make in advance: Prepare the bars up to 4 days in advance. Cover tightly and refrigerate until you need them.

• Read the blog post for instructions on how to make these using your favorite fresh raw berries.