Recipe: Cranberry Almond Shortbread Bars
Most recipes that include cranberries use them in a sweetened and dried form. For those that do use fresh cranberries, many require them to be cooked down so the berries burst and soften. In these bars, we skip that step and let the oven do the work of softening the berries while keeping some in their full form for a lovely pop of flavor.
Although these bars are sweetened, this recipe maintains the natural tartness of cranberries, allowing that flavor element to shine as a nice contrast in a sweet dessert.
As their deep red color would indicate, cranberries are a rich source of antioxidants. One study found that among 20 common fruits, cranberries had the highest level of phenols, a type of antioxidant. Since antioxidants are known to neutralize free radicals in the body (compounds that damage DNA and may contribute to disease), eating foods rich in antioxidants is a wonderful defense against illness. Colorful produce items contain a variety of these naturally occurring plant chemicals – so be sure to eat a variety each day and throughout your week to boost your intake and reap their protective benefits!
Cranberry Almond Shortbread Bars
Serves 16
Ingredients:
For the bar base and top layers
- 3/4 C rolled oats
- 2 C all-purpose flour
- 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 1/3 C brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 2 Tbsp coconut oil, solid
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 2 Tbsp milk/water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the cranberry layer
- 3 C fresh whole cranberries (10-12 oz)
- 1/4 C sugar
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 Tbsp cornstarch/arrowroot starch
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 9×9 inch pan with parchment paper on all sides. Set aside.
- In a large bowl combine oats, flour, sugars, baking soda, and salt. Stir to thoroughly combine.
- To the dry ingredients, add the butter cubes and coconut oil. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter and oil into the dry ingredients until the mixture begins to clump together into large and small chunks (similar to the appearance of wet sand).
- Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the egg, milk, and vanilla extract. Using a fork, beat these remaining wet ingredients together and stir into the dough until it forms a ball.
- Press about 2/3 of the dough mixture into an even layer onto the bottom of the parchment-lined pan. Set pan aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the cranberry layer and toss to combine. Spread the cranberries over the crust, patting into an even layer.
- Take the remaining dough and sprinkle it over the cranberries, pressing gently onto the cranberry layer. Mixture will not fully cover the cranberries and that’s ok.
- Bake for 40-43 minutes or until the crust has puffed and is golden around the edges and on top and the cranberries are bubbling and some have burst open.
- Place bars on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely before slicing to serve. Store leftovers in a sealed container.
Swaps:
For the all-purpose flour: gluten-free all-purpose flour
For the butter: vegan butter