The Crowd-Pleasing Cranberry Dessert You’ll Want to Make Every Holiday Season

We’re approaching the end of the year, and for many, that means plenty of festivities are ahead. No matter what you’re celebrating or where this holiday season, one thing is for certain: you and your loved ones are going to have to eat. Beyond traditional food—like roasted meats, latkes, and more—no one can deny the power of a great dessert.

But if your holiday gathering already has the pie and cookies covered, you’ll want to find a recipe that’s equal parts manageable, delicious, and anything but basic. Enter: cranberry bars by the Institute of Culinary Education’s Trung Vu, chef-instructor of Pastry & Baking Arts at the New York City campus.

These tangy bars are a refreshing break from chocolate chip cookies and chocolate peanut butter pie—but who says you can’t eat it all?—and the crunchiness of the almond oat streusel topping is simply irresistible. Sold? Follow along with the recipe from Vu below, along with helpful tips.

1. Ingredients
2. Step-by-Step Instructions:
3. Chef Tips

Ingredients

Shortbread Crust:

• 3 1/4 cups AP flour
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
• 2 sticks + 3 tablespoons butter, cold
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Almond Oat Streusel Topping:

• 1/2 recipe shortbread crust (reserved from making crust)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup rolled oats

Cranberry Filling:

• 3 cups cranberries, frozen or fresh
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons corn starch
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• zest of 1 orange

Orange Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 1/4 teaspoon orange oil or extract

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. For the shortbread crust, add dry ingredients to the mixing bowl of a stand mixer. Dice butter into small cubes, then cut it into the dry ingredients using the paddle attachment or manually with a pastry cutter. The mixture will resemble coarse cornmeal or wet sand when ready.
2. Whisk egg with vanilla and add to mixture. Mix until the wet ingredients are incorporated (the dough doesn't need to come together fully).
3. Divide mixture in half. Toss half the mixture with sliced almonds and rolled oats, and reserve as topping.
4. Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease or use nonstick spray on the paper.
5. Evenly scatter the remaining shortbread crust over the pan. Then use firm pressure to press the crust in with your fingers.
6. Add ingredients for cranberry filling to a mixing bowl and mix to combine. Scatter mixture evenly over shortbread crust.
7. Break apart any large chunks of reserved topping and scatter over cranberry filling. Ensure cranberries are covered with topping, or they may burn during baking.
8. Bake for 1 hour in a 350°F oven, rotating the pan halfway through for even baking.
9. Meanwhile, make icing by whisking all ingredients together until smooth.
10. After the bars have cooled, run a paring knife around the edges of the bar to release it from the pan. Drizzle with orange icing and cut into 2x2-inch bars (24 pieces).

Chef Tips

• Don’t overwork the shortbread dough; it should look unfinished. There will be parts that mostly came together, but seeing some dry bits or a little unincorporated flour is actually a good sign. This ensures the gluten hasn't been overworked. Plus, you’re going to continue to work it when you press the dough into the pan, and it will come together there. Once pressed in, you will no longer see dry bits or unincorporated flour. Additionally, the streusel topping is more interesting if there are different textures to experience while eating it. I like getting oversized streusel bits as well as smaller, crispier bits, so once again, it’s key not to overwork the dough in the beginning.
• Use cold butter to make the shortbread dough. Warm or softened butter will form a paste and lead to a more cohesive dough than desired.
• Don't mix the cranberry filling too far in advance. The sugar will draw moisture out of them, leading to excess liquid in the bar. Frozen berries work great too—no need to defrost in advance, they will defrost and bake in the time allotted.

There’s nothing quite like sweets during the holidays. With these vibrant cranberry bars, you’ll add variety to your dessert spread.

You can make more recipes like this one at the Institute of Culinary Education’s campuses in Los Angeles and New York City. Learn more about how to enroll on their website.

You May Also Like:

Add Mental Floss as a preferred news source!