Cranberry Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

These cranberry cheesecake bars blur the line between fudge, cookie and cake. They are rich and sweet with a fruity twist and a complexity you might not expect from what, at first glance, looks to be just a sugary treat. To be sure, these have plenty of sugary sweetness, but the flavor profile also has balance and depth.

A great addition to a holiday cookie swap, a perfect housewarming or hostess gift, and a delight to any who find them in the teachers’ lounge, these cranberry bars are always a hit with those lucky enough to try them. So, why not try your hand at making them right now?

Cranberry Bar Ingredients

• Butter: The butter used in the bars needs to be softened properly, so make sure to get it out of the refrigerator at least half an hour before you begin the baking. In colder houses, the softening process may take up to a full hour.
• Sugar: The sugar gives the bars their needed sweetness to contrast the tart cranberries. Measure carefully, as this cranberry bar recipe is all about properly balancing the ingredients.
• Eggs: The eggs need to be removed from the refrigerator at least half an hour before you begin cooking, as they are supposed to be at room temperature.
• Sour cream: Sour cream is more about texture and binding than flavor in this recipe. Don’t use too much though, or it will start to impact the flavor profile.
• Almond extract: Almond extract is potent, so half a teaspoon is all you want.
• Vanilla extract: And of course, vanilla extract is strong in flavor as well, so measure this extract with care.
• All-purpose flour: The all-purpose flour provides the backbone for these bars, bringing all of the flavors and ingredients together and creating the wonderful texture you’ll be sinking your teeth into.
• Baking powder: Without baking powder, the flower would never rise to the occasion, as it were. Baking powder helps the bars take shape during the baking process.
• White baking chips: What are white baking chips anyway, you ask? They taste like white chocolate, but usually contain no actual cocoa. They are just a sweet little morsel that will melt into the recipe.
• Dried cranberries: This key ingredient to cranberry bars is tart, sweet and chewy. You will use them whole in the bars and chopped in the topping.
• Walnuts: Walnuts add a delightful taste and texture to these bars. You can also use almonds, but make sure they are chopped well.

Frosting

• Cream cheese: The frosting calls for 8 ounces of cream cheese, and it needs to be softened, so get it out of the fridge before you need to use it.
• Butter: Just as for the cream cheese, the butter also needs to be softened, so plan ahead for the frosting prep.
• Orange zest: Zest is very powerful in its flavoring. Many people love it, but it’s an overpowering turn-off to some palates. It’s your call whether you use it at all, and how much you include in the recipe.
• Vanilla extract: Vanilla extract is the defining character in this frosting’s taste. A full teaspoon of the stuff delivers big time.
• Confectioners’ sugar: You’ll be using a lot of sugar in this frosting, which won’t come as a surprise to anyone who has tried these cranberry bars before.
• Dried cranberries: For the frosting, make sure the cranberries are chopped to small bits, both for flavoring and texture, and because they add a wonderful pop of color to top the cranberry bars.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the batter, then bake the bars

Preheat the oven to 350°F, then, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, which will take five to seven minutes. Next, gradually beat in the eggs, sour cream and extracts. Then, in a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt, and then gradually beat this blend into the creamed mixture. Fold in the baking chips, cranberries and walnuts, and finally spread the batter into a greased 15- by- 10- by 1-inch baking pan.

Step 2: Bake then cool the bars

Bake the bars until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, which will take 25 to 30 minutes. Cool the bars completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Step 3: Frost the cranberry bars, then cut them into shape

For the frosting, in a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, orange zest (if desired) and vanilla until smooth. Then beat in the confectioners’ sugar and spread the frosting over the top of the bars. Sprinkle the frosted bars with cranberries and, if desired, additional orange zest. Cut the cranberry cream cheese bars into bars or triangles and enjoy.

Cranberry Bar Variations

Leave out the nuts: If you’re not a fan of walnuts or if you just don’t have any on hand, you can leave them out and prepare this recipe otherwise just as it’s laid out here.

Skip the orange zest: As mentioned, the orange zest is optional. You should take your time considering whether or not to use it, as it may render these bars inedible to some people. The best practice might be to use the zest on just a half of the baked and frosted bars, sprinkling it on but not mixing any into the frosting.

Chocolate chips: Instead of using the white baking chips, you can use chocolate chips. Not everyone loves the interplay of chocolate and fruit flavors, but some people find the pairing irresistible.

How to Store Cranberry Bars

These bars can be left out at room temperature all day for a single day, but after that, they should be sealed in airtight packaging and stored in the fridge. You can keep them in the refrigerator for three to four days.

Can I freeze cranberry bars?

Yes, these bars can be frozen. Place them in airtight baggies or in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between each bar, and store them for up to three months. Then thaw at room temperature and enjoy.

Cranberry Bar Tips

How can I soften butter more quickly?

You can soften butter quickly by using your microwave. Microwave a glass of water on high for 60 seconds, then carefully remove it from the microwave. Place the butter on a dish and pop it into the warm microwave, then close the door. The butter should be softened enough for easy use after five minutes.

Can I use white chocolate instead of white baking chips?

Absolutely. You can use real white chocolate chips for the white baking chips and follow the recipe exactly as laid out here. It will come out delicious.

What should I serve with these cranberry bars?

Because these are quite a sweet treat, a cup of black coffee or unsweetened tea is a perfect pairing.