Description
There’s nothing like the combo of fresh cranberries and zesty lemon to wake up your taste buds! These Cranberry Lemon Bars hit all the right notes — buttery shortbread, a jammy cranberry layer, and a silky lemon custard baked to perfection. Sweet, tart, and buttery all in one bite — it’s the dessert that makes winter baking feel extra special.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Filling
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries (or frozen, no need to thaw)
- ½ cup water
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
Shortbread Crust
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
Lemon Layer
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- Optional: powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prep the Cranberry Filling
- Start by rinsing and sorting your cranberries, tossing out any that are soft or discolored.
- Place the berries in a medium saucepan with the water and sugar. Heat over medium-high until the mixture begins to boil, then lower to medium-low. Cover with a splatter guard (trust me — cranberries love to pop!) and simmer, stirring now and then, until the berries burst and the sauce thickens, about 10–15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and let it cool for at least 30 minutes before layering.
- Make the Crust
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy lifting later. Give it a light butter or nonstick spray coating.
- In a bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the flour and stir until a thick, soft dough forms.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan — it should form a smooth, compact layer.
- Bake for 16–18 minutes until lightly golden around the edges.
- Take the crust out and prick it gently with a fork to release steam. Turn off the oven and let it cool for about 20 minutes.
- Whip Up the Lemon Layer
- While the crust cools, whisk together the sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth, then pour in the lemon juice and stir until combined. Set aside — this will be your custardy top layer.
- Assemble the Layers
- Once your crust and cranberry mixture have cooled, spread the cranberry filling evenly over the crust. Make sure to reach every corner so no bare spots peek through later.
- Place the pan in the fridge for 45 minutes to let the cranberry layer firm up slightly.
- Bake to Perfection
- Preheat the oven again to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove the pan from the fridge and slowly pour the lemon mixture over the cranberry base, smoothing it out with a spatula.
- Bake for 43–45 minutes, or until the center looks set and doesn’t jiggle when you nudge the pan.
- Cool on a wire rack for an hour, then transfer the pan to the fridge for another 1–2 hours to let everything set beautifully.
- Slice and Serve
- When ready to serve, lift the bars out of the pan using the parchment overhang and place them on a cutting board. Dust the top with powdered sugar (snowy vibes, anyone?) and slice into squares. For picture-perfect pieces, wipe the knife clean between cuts.
Notes
- Frozen Cranberries Work Fine: No need to thaw — they’ll cook down just like fresh ones.
- Go for Fresh Lemon Juice: Bottled lemon juice can dull the flavor; fresh is worth the squeeze.
- Keep It Tart: Avoid using dried cranberries or canned cranberry sauce — you want that bright, tangy pop only fresh berries can give.
- Boost the Lemon Flavor: Add 2 teaspoons of lemon zest into the crust for a sunny, citrusy note.
- Make Ahead Friendly: These bars actually taste even better the next day after chilling — perfect for prepping ahead of parties.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 215 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 52 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 51 mg