Cranberry Bars with Shortbread Crust using leftover cranberry sauce. Cranberry shortbread bars made in a loaf pan to serve two.
Or, what I like to call Leftover Cranberry Sauce Bars.
You're going to have leftover cranberry sauce in a few weeks, this much I know.
I'm not sure why we keep insisting on making large batches of cranberry sauce, when in reality, people take approximately 1.73 teaspoons of cranberry sauce per pound of turkey on their plate.
I'm not complaining about leftover cranberry sauce one bit. I like to swirl it into my small cheesecake recipe (oh please make that with a gingersnap crust!). I like a big scoop of it on a grilled cheese made with Brie (also leftover from the cheese tray on Turkey Day!). And while I don't eat much pork, this recipe for cranberry pork chops is a good one--I stocked my freezer with two batches of it just days before I went into labor.
I might have just talked you into making a big batch of cranberry sauce.
I made these cranberry bars in a loaf pan with 1 ½ cups of leftover cranberry sauce. Scale up or down as you need.
The only thing not up for debate with this recipe is the powdered sugar sprinkle. Have a heavy hand, without apologies.
What kind of cranberry sauce can I use to make these cranberry bars?
I feel like I should say that the success of your cranberry bars depends on how good your cranberry sauce is. Fresh cranberry sauces and compotes made with apples, oranges, and nuts are all welcome here.
Personally, I make my cranberry sauce with orange zest, Cointreau and a heavy dose of vanilla bean. I highly recommend it, but just in case you don't make it my way, go ahead and stir in a little vanilla extract into your leftover sauce.
But, really, you do you--make your family's favorite sauce (just please don't crack a can), and then press the leftovers on top of my small batch shortbread crust. It's going to be great!
If you still find yourself with too many bags of cranberries, you have to make my slow cooker cranberry butter.
I hope these cranberry bars give you something to do with all of that leftover cranberry sauce!
If you have leftover dried cranberries, make my cranberry orange cookies!
Cranberry Bars
Leftover cranberry sauce cookie bars.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, cold and diced
- ¾ cup flour
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups leftover cranberry sauce
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- powdered sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Line a 9”x5”x3” loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving enough overhanging so that you can easily pull the bars out of the pan.
- Preheat the oven to 350°.
- In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse once to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until a coarse meal forms. The dough should barely clump together slightly when you squeeze it in your hand. It will not be overly sticky.
- Press the mixture into the loaf pan in an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes.
- Stir the cranberry sauce and vanilla together in a small bowl.
- Pour the cranberry sauce mixture over the cooked shortbread and bake another 20 minutes, or until the shortbread is golden brown. Let cool in the pan before attempting to slice. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 456Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 37mgSodium: 220mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 1gSugar: 60gProtein: 3g
Deb says
Christina: This recipe looks great. Can I use the results of the cranberry butter recipe for these bars, or do I need to use cranberry sauce? (I'm wondering if the cranberry butter will too thin.)
Christina Lane says
Hi Deb, I don't think so--you're right, it's much too thin. I'm sorry! :/
Hayley says
Hello!
Could you please add your recipe for Cranberry sauce/compote too? :)
Christina Lane says
Hi Hayley! It's just a bag of cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, zest of an orange, juice of an orange, splash of Cointreau and half a vanilla bean. Easy! :)
Megan @ MegUnprocessed says
What a great idea!
Andrea says
These were really really good! I made them for a dessert after our Christmas Eve dinner. Wanted something not as heavy as a decadent chocolate dessert. These were a hit and everyone loved them. I served them with the powdered sugar sprinkle and also some fresh whipped cream. Perfect!
HR says
This sounds delicious! Should I triple the recipe for a 9”x13” baking dish? How long should I bake it for? Thank you☺️
Loz says
I'm always looking for a great way to use the left-over cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving. This is perfect!