Cranberry shortbread bars being split open to show the cranberry filling on the inside

Cranberry Shortbread Bars


Sweet cranberry shortbread bars, with a tender, buttery shortbread crust and a cranberry filling packed with flavor.

Cranberry shortbread bars split open to show the cranberry filling on the inside

Cranberry Shortbread Bars Recipe with a Buttery Shortbread Crust

Sweet cranberry shortbread bars, with a tender, buttery shortbread crust and a cranberry filling packed with flavor. Made with pantry and fridge-friendly ingredients like white sugar, brown sugar, flour, butter, vanilla, and cranberries. All in an easy-to-follow recipe. These are some of my favorite holiday bars!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chill time 25 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Equipment

  • 9×9 baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Electric Hand Mixer
  • Medium Sauce Pan
  • medium mixing bowl

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Crust

  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 3/4 cup superfine white sugar AKA Baker’s Sugar or Caster Sugar
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar or white sugar

Cranberry Filling

  • 3 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon agar agar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions
 

Shortbread Crust

  • Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare a 9×9 inch baking pan by greasing it and lining it with greased parchment paper.
  • Cream together: In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup softened butter and 3/4 cup superfine white sugar. Cream together until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
  • Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined to avoid overworking the dough.
  • Press and Chill: Press about two-thirds of the dough into the prepared pan, reserving the remaining one-third of dough for the top layer. Chill the dough in the pan and the reserved dough for 15 minutes in the fridge.
  • Par-Bake: Transfer the pan to the preheated oven in the center of the middle rack and bake for about 13 minutes or until the dough is no longer shiny. The shortbread will still look somewhat underbaked, but that’s ok as we will bake it again once we add the filling. Remove from oven and allow to cool while you work on the cranberry filling.

Cranberry Filling

  • Mix & Heat: In a medium saucepan, stir together 1 1/2 cups superfine sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon agar agar, and 1/2 cup water. Heat over medium heat, stirring until the sugars dissolve.
  • Add Cranberries: Add 3 cups fresh cranberries and cook for about 10 minutes until they begin to burst.
  • Add Orange Juice & Vanilla: Stir in 1/2 cup orange juice and simmer for 5-10 minutes continuing to stir frequently. Remove from heat, add 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Chill: Transfer the cranberry filling to a heat proof bowl place it in the freezer to chill for about 5-10 minutes.

Assemble and Bake

  • Add Filling: Pour 2 cups of the cranberry filling over the parbaked shortbread crust.
  • Create Top Layer: Roll out the remaining shortbread dough or use your hands to create flat discs about 1/4 inch thick. Place flat clusters of dough on top of the filling to loosely form a lid. Using the remaining cranberry filling, spoon the filling over the top in several lines as shown in the photos and video. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar over the top.
  • Bake: Place the assembled bars back in the oven and bake at 350°F for about 30-35 minutes, until the top is golden brown, and the filling is bubbling. As oven temperatures can vary be sure to check the bars at the 28-30 minute mark to avoid overbaking.
  • Serve and Enjoy!: Once fully baked, allow the bars to cool so the filling can set. Slice into squares and enjoy!

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