A smooth and tangy cranberry filling sandwiched between buttery cookie layers. These creamy cranberry bars are so delicious and the perfect dessert for the holidays!
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with parchment leaving a 1-inch overhang on two sides and then spraying the parchment with pan spray. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Stir in the butter and mix until combined. You may need to use a hand mixer or clean hands to fully combined the ingredients.
Press about ⅔-½ of the dough evenly into the bottom of the pan for the crust.
Create the filling by mashing the cranberry sauce, both zests, and orange juice together. Add the filling to the pan on top of the crust. You can use all of the filling or about ½-⅔ of it. The more filling you use the more jammy the center of the bars will be.
Crumble the remaining dough evenly over the top of the filling and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the top crust is just beginning to turn a light golden brown. Let cool for 45-60 minutes before lifting out from the pan and cutting into bars. Cut 3x3 for 9 bars or 4x4 for 12 smaller bars.
Notes
Originally posted November 24, 2013Updated on November 7, 2023