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Cranberry Lemon Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

4.7 from 133 reviews

These Cranberry Lemon Bars combine a tart cranberry layer with a zesty lemon filling atop a buttery shortbread crust, creating a delightful balance of sweet and tangy flavors perfect for any occasion. They feature a baked shortbread base, a simmered cranberry topping, and a baked lemon custard finish, resulting in a refreshing and vibrant dessert.

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

Instructions

  1. Prepare Cranberry Layer: Rinse and sort the cranberries, discarding any bad or squishy ones. In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, water, and 6 tablespoons sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover with a splatter screen, and simmer for 10-15 minutes until cranberries have broken down. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and let cool for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Prepare Shortbread Crust: Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, ensuring no gaps and leaving some overhang for easy bar removal. Grease with butter or cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, vanilla extract, 1/4 cup sugar, and salt. Stir in the flour until a thick dough forms. Press this evenly into the prepared pan.
  3. Bake Crust: Bake crust for 16-18 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and poke all over with a fork. Turn off oven and let crust cool for about 20 minutes.
  4. Prepare Lemon Layer: While crust is cooling, whisk together 1 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons flour in a medium bowl. Add eggs and mix well, then stir in fresh lemon juice. Set aside.
  5. Chill Cranberry Layer: Once the crust has cooled, pour the cooled cranberry filling evenly over the crust, spreading to the edges with no gaps. Refrigerate for 45 minutes to set.
  6. Bake Lemon Layer: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the pan from the refrigerator, pour the lemon mixture over the cranberry layer carefully. Bake for 43-45 minutes until the center is set and does not jiggle.
  7. Cool and Serve: Cool the bars on a wire rack in the baking pan at room temperature for 1 hour. Then refrigerate for 1-2 hours. To serve, lift the bars out using the parchment overhang, dust with powdered sugar if desired, and cut into squares. For clean slices, wipe the knife between cuts.

Notes

  • Frozen cranberries do not need to be thawed before use.
  • Use fresh lemon juice for the best flavor, not bottled lemon juice.
  • Use fresh or frozen cranberries, avoid dried cranberries or canned cranberry sauce.
  • For extra lemon flavor, add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest to the crust batter.
  • Bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 6-7 days.

Keywords: cranberry lemon bars, lemon dessert, cranberry dessert, shortbread crust, lemon bars, holiday dessert

Find it online: https://messykitchenmagic.com/cranberry-lemon-bars-recipe/