Shelly's Recipe

CRANBERRY SHORTBREAD BARS

Category: Bars

Cranberry filling
8 oz. fresh cranberries
2/3 cup granulated sugar*
3 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. orange zest

Shortbread
2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 and grease a 9×9 baking pan.

To make the filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, and water. Cook over medium-high heat until boiling, and continue to boil the filling until it’s thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes. (*You may need to add a little more sugar depending on the tartness of the cranberries.) Stir in the orange zest and remove from the heat to cool while you make the shortbread.

To make the shortbread: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, and salt.

In another bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream the butter until smooth (1 minute) and add the sugar, beating until smooth (about 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla extract. Gently fold in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Evenly press two-thirds of the shortbread dough into the prepared pan. Spoon over the cranberry filling evenly, leaving a 1/4″ border. With the remaining shortbread dough, crumble it over the top of the filling, using your fingers. Then, gently press the dough into the filling.

Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Remove from oven, place on a wire rack and while still hot, cut into 16 squares. Allow to cool completely in pan.