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Cranberry Shortbread Bars Recipe

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4.1 from 3 reviews

Cranberry Shortbread Bars are a delightful treat combining buttery, crumbly shortbread with tart fresh cranberries and crunchy walnuts. These bars offer a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors, finished with a golden, crumbly topping for a delicious dessert or snack.

Ingredients

Shortbread Dough

  • 2 cups butter, softened (4 sticks)
  • 1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 & 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Toppings

  • 1 (12-oz) bag fresh cranberries (about 3 cups)
  • 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

  1. Prepare the pan: Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or butter. For easy removal, line the pan with parchment paper or greased aluminum foil.
  2. Beat butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat 2 cups of softened butter until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl sides and bottom.
  3. Add sugars: Mix in granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating until light and fluffy, ensuring sugar is fully incorporated.
  4. Combine vanilla and salt: Add vanilla extract and kosher salt, mixing thoroughly.
  5. Add flour: Spoon and level flour 1 cup at a time, beating after each addition until mostly incorporated. Switch to hand-stirring near the end to avoid overmixing; stop beating once the flour streaks disappear.
  6. Press base layer: Use about two-thirds of the dough and press it evenly into the prepared pan, about 1 inch up the sides. Wet hands slightly to prevent sticking.
  7. Prepare cranberries: Rinse cranberries, remove stems and shriveled berries, then dry with paper towels or let drain.
  8. Add cranberries: Spread the cranberries evenly over the pressed dough in the pan, reaching edges.
  9. Mix walnuts into remaining dough: Add chopped walnuts to leftover dough in the bowl and mix well.
  10. Top cranberry layer: Pinch medium-sized chunks of walnut dough and drop them over the cranberries evenly to form a crumbly topping.
  11. Chill bars: Refrigerate the assembled pan for about 20 minutes to firm up the dough before baking.
  12. Preheat oven: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) while bars chill.
  13. Bake: Bake for 42-45 minutes, until edges and topping are golden brown. Baking time may be shorter in a metal pan; avoid overbaking.
  14. Cool and serve: Let bars cool 10-20 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature, optionally with ice cream, caramel drizzle, or warm vanilla butter sauce.

Notes

  • Lining the pan with parchment paper makes it easier to lift bars out for cutting.
  • Wet your hands when pressing dough to prevent sticking.
  • Do not overmix the dough to maintain a tender shortbread texture.
  • Use fresh cranberries and remove any stems or shriveled berries for best taste.
  • Chilling dough before baking improves texture.
  • Baking times vary with pan type; watch for golden edges and topping as doneness indicators.

Find it online: https://recipefeastful.com/cranberry-shortbread-bars-recipe/