Description
These Cranberry Shortbread Bars feature a rich, buttery shortbread crust with a tart cranberry filling and crunchy walnut topping, perfect for holiday treats or year-round indulgence. The buttery base is lightly salted and sweetened, topped with fresh cranberries, and finished with chunks of walnut-studded shortbread, creating a delightful balance of sweet, tart, and nutty flavors with a crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Ingredients
Scale
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
Filling and Topping
- 1 (12-oz) bag fresh cranberries (approximately 3 cups)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray or grease with butter. For easier removal, line the pan with parchment paper so you can lift the bars out easily. Alternatively, line with aluminum foil and grease it thoroughly.
- Cream butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, add 2 cups softened butter. Beat until smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl frequently.
- Add sugars: Add 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar and 1/3 cup brown sugar to the butter. Beat until light, fluffy, and fully incorporated, scraping the bowl as needed.
- Mix flavorings: Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt until well combined.
- Incorporate flour: Add the 4 cups of spooned and leveled all-purpose flour one cup at a time, beating after each addition until mostly mixed. Switch to hand stirring towards the end to prevent overmixing. Stop once all white streaks disappear, being careful not to overmix.
- Press bottom crust: Use about two-thirds of the dough, press it evenly into the prepared pan, including about 1 inch up the sides. To prevent sticking, wet your hands slightly as needed.
- Prepare cranberries: Rinse fresh cranberries, discard any stems or shriveled berries, and pat dry thoroughly.
- Add cranberry layer: Spread all the prepared cranberries evenly over the pressed bottom dough in the pan.
- Mix walnuts into remaining dough: Add chopped walnuts to the remaining one-third dough in the bowl and mix until evenly distributed.
- Top with dough chunks: Break the walnut dough into medium-sized chunks (about the size of a quarter) and distribute them over the cranberries, allowing gaps and unevenness for a rustic look.
- Chill bars: Refrigerate the assembled pan for about 20 minutes to firm up the dough before baking. This improves the texture of the shortbread crust.
- Preheat oven: While chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake bars: Bake the chilled bars for 42-45 minutes at 350°F, or slightly less time if using a metal pan. The bars are done when the edges and top crumble are golden brown. Avoid overbaking to keep them tender.
- Cool and serve: Let the bars cool for 10-20 minutes before cutting. Serve warm or at room temperature. Optionally, pair with ice cream, caramel drizzle, or warm vanilla butter sauce for extra indulgence.
Notes
- Using parchment paper makes removing the bars easier and reduces clean-up.
- Wet hands slightly to prevent dough sticking while pressing and chunking.
- Ensure cranberries are dry before placing to avoid soggy crust.
- Do not overmix the dough to maintain a tender shortbread texture.
- Chilling the assembled bars before baking helps develop the classic shortbread crumb.
- Bake until golden brown edges and top for optimal flavor and texture.
- These bars taste wonderful served warm with ice cream or drizzled with caramel or vanilla butter sauce.
