These Cranberry Shortbread Bars are here just in time for your holiday baking! Soft, sweet, buttery, and rich with fresh cranberries, these bars are perfect for your Christmas cookie platter.
♡ 12 DAYS OF SUGAR – DAY 9 ♡
Yes my friends, we’re already on Day 9 and it’s a good one! If you love shortbread, then you’re going to love these Cranberry Shortbread Bars.
These bars have the most delicious buttery shortbread crust, with white chocolate chips added in, then fresh (or frozen) cranberries are sprinkled all over the top and then you finish them off with dollops of the remaining dough.
The combination of the shortbread and the cranberries is fantastic. With every bite you get a little bit of tang and a little bit of salty, buttery, and sweet.
These bars are next level shortbread and you’re going love them. Not only are they scrumptious, I think they are just beautiful to look at!
Here is what you’ll need:
- Butter – I always bake with salted, but if you are an unsalted person, then you do you.
- Sugar – granulated sugar is what you’ll need.
- Vanilla – use pure vanilla extract if you have it, rather than the imitation stuff.
- Salt – all you need is a little pinch.
- All-purpose flour
- Cranberries – you can use fresh or frozen, no need to thaw if you’re using frozen.
- White chocolate chips – add a little bit of sweetness to these bars, which is scrumptious!
Do I need to refrigerate these bars?
Nope! These sweet bars will stay fresh at room temperature for up to four or five days. No need to refrigerate, which might be a downfall because if they’re left sitting on the counter, you maybe end up cutting a little bite here and there and before you know it, you’ll have eaten the rest of the pan.
This recipe an easily be doubled and made in a 9×13 pan.
Cranberry Shortbread Bars
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips or coarsely chopped white chocolate
- 1/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts, optional
- 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9×9 baking dish or pan with a parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and mix well.
- Add flour and mix until combined, then add the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts (if using) mix on low until combined (or you can fold the chocolate chips in by hand) just until combined.
- Lightly press ⅔ of the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using your fingers. Pour the cranberries over top, then crumble the remaining dough over the cranberries. (This won’t cover the cranberries completely and that’s ok.)
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or just until the edges are starting to turn golden.
- Cool completely before slicing into small bars.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
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