Cranberry Bars
Buttery crumb layers sandwich a vibrant tart cranberry filling, making these bars a bright, sliceable treat that balances sweet and tangy flavors.
Ingredients
Crust
- 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.33 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter cold, cubed
Filling
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
Topping
- 0.33 cup all-purpose flour
- 0.33 cup granulated sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter cold, cubed
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment. In a bowl, whisk flour and sugar. Cut in cold butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Press two-thirds of crumbs into pan and bake 10–12 minutes until edges are light golden.
Filling
- Cool crust for 10 minutes. Pulse cranberries and sugar until coarsely chopped. Stir in egg, vanilla, flour, and salt, then spread over crust.
Topping
- Combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over filling.
- Bake 20–25 minutes until topping is golden and filling bubbles around edges. Cool completely before slicing into 16 bars.
Notes
Make sure to cool bars completely before covering to avoid sogginess.
Store in an airtight container: room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.