Description
Tangy and sweet Cranberry Lemon Bars featuring a buttery shortbread crust, a luscious cranberry layer, and a zesty lemon topping. These bars are perfect for a refreshing dessert with a beautiful balance of tart and sweet flavors, ideal for any season.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Layer
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries or frozen (not thawed)
- 1/2 cup water
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Shortbread Crust
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Lemon Layer
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- Optional: powdered sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Prepare Cranberries: Rinse and pick through the cranberries, discarding any that are bad or squishy. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, water, and 6 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and cover with a splatter screen. Stir occasionally at first, then frequently to prevent burning, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until cranberries break down. Set aside to cool at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring no gaps and leaving an overhang for easy removal. Coat with butter or non-stick spray. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, vanilla, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Stir in flour until combined. Press dough firmly and evenly into the pan, making sure to cover edges fully to prevent leaks.
- Bake Crust: Bake for 16-18 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and poke holes with a fork. Turn off oven and let crust cool about 20 minutes.
- Prepare Lemon Mixture: In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons flour. Whisk in eggs, then add fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
- Chill Cranberry Layer: Pour cooled cranberry filling evenly over crust, spreading to edges. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to set.
- Bake Lemon Layer: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the pan from fridge, carefully pour lemon layer over cranberry layer. Bake for 43-45 minutes until the lemon layer is set and no longer jiggles.
- Cool and Serve: Cool bars on a wire rack in pan at room temperature for 1 hour, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours. To serve, lift bars out using parchment overhang, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and cut into 16 squares. Wipe knife clean between cuts for neat slices.
Notes
- Frozen cranberries do not need thawing before using.
- Use fresh lemon juice for best flavor instead of bottled lemon juice.
- Use fresh or frozen tart cranberries, avoid dried or canned cranberry sauce.
- Add 2 teaspoons lemon zest to crust batter for extra lemony flavor.
- Bars keep well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 205
- Sugar: 24g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
