Cranberry Shortbread Bars
Buttery shortbread crust and tangy, sweet cranberry filling combine to make the perfect, quick Thanksgiving dessert bar.
Equipment
- Square, metal baking pan (8×8" or 9×9" pan)
- Stand mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold butter (2 sticks)
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1 cup prepared cranberry sauce (or jam of choice) (use my Mom's Cranberry Sauce recipe)
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for lifting out of the pan after baking.
- In bowl of stand mixer, use paddle attachment to mix butter, sugar, flour, vanilla and salt until crumbly.
- Add water, 1 tablespoon at time and mix just until dough comes together.
- Use ⅔ of the dough to press into bottom of pan firmly to form a crust.
- Spread cranberry sauce or jam over surface of the bottom crust.
- Crumble remaining dough over surface, leaving some cranberry sauce visible. Gently press down on crust.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until set and barely beginning to brown on edges.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on wire rack. Lift out of pan with parchment handles and transfer to cutting board. Cut into 16 bars and serve. Store loosely covered for up to five days.
