These cranberry nut bars are made with fresh cranberries and are given a bit of added crunch with sliced almonds. The red festive color is perfect for the holidays!
These cranberry bars have a wonderful shortbread crust made with almonds in the crust and sliced almonds on top. Use fresh or frozen cranberries for the filling.
I used just one bowl to make these bars. Well, technically, just one food processor. That's even better than one bowl.
With the food processor you just put everything in and push pulse. It's that easy. I did the crust first. Placed the shortbread crust into a baking dish and then used the same bowl, leftover crumbs and all, for the cranberry filling.
Easy prep, easy cleanup!
Key Ingredients
- Cranberries - fresh or frozen. If using frozen, no need to thaw. Increase baking time by 5 minutes
- Almonds - Use sliced almonds
- Orange zest - One orange will give you enough zest for the filling
Make the crust
- Place flour, sugar, butter, almonds and salt in a food processor
- Pulse until small crumbs
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13" baking dish and push down mixture with your hands or the bottom of a flat measuring cup
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. It is okay if there is still some dry flour on shortbread crust after baking for the 10 minutes.
Make the filling
- Using the same food processor bowl, add sugar, eggs, milk, orange peel, vanilla and cranberries.
- Pulse until mixture is well combined and cranberries are finely chopped
- Pour mixture over hot shortbread crust
- Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and then sprinkle sugar on top of almonds (sugar is optional)
- Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes
- Allow bars to cool before slicing and serving
Tips
- Cut butter into small cubes before adding to food processor
- Add cranberry filling while crust is still warm
- Allow bars to fully cool before slicing
- Store bars in an airtight container for up to four days
- Bars are even more delicious served the day after they are made
More delicious holiday desserts
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Be certain to check out all my dessert recipes!
Cranberry Nut Bars
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup sliced almonds
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon finely shredded orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups whole cranberries
- ¾ cup sliced almonds
- 1 tablespoon sugar (for topping, optional)
Instructions
Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- In a food processor, put flour, sugar, butter, almonds and salt.1 ¼ cups flour, ¾ cup sugar, ½ cup butter, ½ cup sliced almonds, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Pulse until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is incorporated throughout.
- Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Flatten dough with hands.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Filling
- Meanwhile, in the same bowl, add sugar, eggs, milk, orange peel, vanilla, and cranberries.1 cup sugar, 2 whole eggs, 2 Tablespoons milk, 1 Tablespoon finely shredded orange peel, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 cups whole cranberries
- Pulse until ingredients are mixed and cranberries are finely chopped.
- Pour filling over hot crust. Sprinkle sliced almonds on top and sprinkle with sugar (optional)¾ cup sliced almonds, 1 tablespoon sugar
- Return to oven and bake for 30 minutes.
- Let cool before slicing.
Notes
- Cut butter into small cubes before adding to food processor
- Add cranberry filling while crust is still warm
- Allow bars to fully cool before slicing
- Store bars in an airtight container for up to four days
- Bars are even more delicious served the day after they are made
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in December 2015.
David @ Spiced says
What a great use of the food processor! Anytime I can create a tasty dessert with fewer dishes to clean, then I am all in. And I've been on a huge cranberry kick this year. These bars sound like a great treat for sure!
Kathy says
Easy and delicious!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
These look wonderful, Kathy! Love the shortbread crust - my fave!! Perfect for the holidays!
Kathy says
Thanks, Dawn! I love cranberries this time of year and I think they are perfect for the holidays!