Tart and Sweet: These Cranberry Pie Bars Are Holiday Perfection

The holidays call for desserts that are vibrant and full of flavor, like Sarah Fennel’s Cranberry Pie Bars. Featured in Sweet Tooth, her debut cookbook, these bars combine tart cranberries, buttery shortbread, and a crisp crumb topping. We joined Sarah at a cozy gathering to sample these festive treats. Their bold flavors and rustic charm made them the highlight of the table. Perfectly balanced and irresistibly delicious, they’re a must-bake for the holiday season.

Sweet Tooth by Sarah Fennel

$22.85 at Target

Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Pie Bars

Cranberry pie bars are everything you love about the holidays in a single bite. Think: tangy cranberries bursting with flavor, buttery crumb topping, and a rich, golden crust that ties it all together. These bars strike the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a hint of orange zest. Whether served as a simple dessert or a mid-afternoon treat, their texture—crisp, soft, and crumbly—is as satisfying as these bars are vibrant. They’re a delightful nod to the season’s most cherished flavors, effortlessly bringing joy to every gathering.

What makes this recipe truly exceptional is its versatility and ease. The buttery shortbread crust provides a sturdy, melt-in-your-mouth base, while the cranberry layer adds a pop of color and bold taste. The crumb topping, with its subtle sweetness and crisp texture, creates the ideal contrast to the juicy cranberries. Whether dusted with confectioners’ sugar or served warm with a dollop of whipped cream, these bars are guaranteed to become a seasonal favorite.

Here’s why Sarah loves this recipe, in her own words:

“When bags of fresh cranberries are in stores, you know the holidays are near. I throw two in my cart, immediately, and make big plans to make these bars. They’ve got a buttery shortbread crust, a thick layer of cranberry pie filling, and a sweet crumble topping. You get all the flavor of a tart cranberry pie without making and chilling a crust or remembering where the rolling pin is. The combination of textures and the jolt of that puckering, bright filling get me every time.”

“Sweet Tooth” Copyright © 2024 by Sarah Fennel. Photographs copyright © 2024 by Sarah Fennel.
Published by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group.

Cranberry Pie Bars

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• Author: Sarah Fennel
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 9 1x

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Description

A cranberry dessert perfect for the holidays.

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Ingredients

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for the crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the cranberry layer:

1 pound fresh or frozen cranberries (if you’re using frozen cranberries, defrost and rinse them clean first)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons freshly grated orange zest (from about 2 oranges)

for the crumb topping:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioner’s sugar, for topping (optional)

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Instructions

1. First, make the crust. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper on all sides.
2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and salt and beat on medium-low speed until combined, about 1 minute. The mixture will be thick. Add the egg and vanilla extract and beat on medium speed until the mixture forms a thick dough, about 45 seconds. Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and use a measuring cup (or something else with a flat bottom) to really pack the crust into an even layer.
3. Next, make the cranberry layer. In a large bowl, combine the cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, and orange zest. Transfer the cranberry mixture over the crust and use a silicone spatula to spread it evenly to the edges.
4. Last, make the crumb topping. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt. Use a fork or your fingers to work everything together until the mixture resembles wet sand and clumps together.
5. Squeeze the crumb topping into your palm, then break it apart into big and small clusters, sprinkling them all over the cranberry layer like a fruit crisp (some pockets of exposed cranberries are okay!). Bake until the cranberries have burst completely and the top of the bars is light golden brown, about 1 hour.
6. Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment paper to lift the bars from the pan, then transfer them to a cutting board. Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar (if using), cut into 16 squares, and serve.

• Prep Time: 30
• Cook Time: 60