Cranberry Bars
Tart and sweet cranberries are made into a sauce then sandwiched between sweet crumble dough and baked until pale golden.
Servings 12
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
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x8-inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang for easy lifting.
- In a medium bowl add all of the dough ingredients except for the egg. Whisk the ingredients well.
- With a pastry cutter or fork cut the butter into the flour until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the egg and combine it into the dough using your hands. Alternatively, you could use your food processor.
- Pour half the crumble dough into the pan. With your hands flatten it evenly all over. Set the remaining dough to the side.
Cranberry sauce
- In a small saucepan, combine all cranberry sauce ingredients except the vanilla extract, Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently, and cook for 6–7 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and darkens.ly.
- Remove the saucepan from heat, transfer the sauce to a bowl, and stir in the vanilla extract. Allow it to cool completely.
- 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.
Notes
Pro Tips: Storing, Freezing, and Prepping in Advance
- To easily remove the cranberry bars from the pan, line it with two pieces of parchment paper placed in a crisscross pattern. Make sure the parchment overhangs on all sides to create handy "handles" for lifting the bars out after baking.
- For clean, even slices, chill the bars before cutting. I recommend letting them cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes, then refrigerating them for 2-4 hours. If you’re short on time, allow the bars to cool completely for 30-60 minutes before slicing.
- Store the bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for extended freshness. For long-term storage, these bars freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
- Planning ahead? These cranberry bars can be made up to 4 days in advance. Simply cover tightly and refrigerate until you’re ready to serve.
- Want to customize the recipe? Check out the blog post for tips on how to make these bars with your favorite fresh berries!