Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars

With their sweet/ tart cranberry filling and crumbly topping, these gluten-free cranberry bars make a great addition to any cookie platter.

I’ve caught the baking bug, and as we head into December all I can think about is hunkering down in the kitchen, firing up the oven and baking up some sweet treats.  ‘Tis the season and all that… not to mention that it’s a pretty nice way to spend the afternoon.

Bar cookies are always a must since they don’t require any rolling and make a big pan to share.  One of my very favorites is a crumb bar, especially the kind that has a jammy filling sandwiched in between a buttery base and a crumbly top.

Cranberry Bars

These sweet/tart bars have a lightly spiced cranberry filling because cranberries are the unofficial fruit of the season.  Even after Thanksgiving has passed they find their way into all kinds of sweet treats, desserts and teas.  And if you have an extra bag of cranberries hanging out in the back of your fridge, this is the perfect way to use them.

The best part is how simple they are to make.  Even though there are three layers you only need to make one dough and one filling.  All you need for the base and the topping is a bowl and a fork, everything comes together quickly to form a crumbly dough, part of which is pressed into the pan to form the base and the other which is sprinkled on top of the filling.  As for the jammy filling, it’s as easy as making cranberry sauce, you just simmer the berries along with a few seasonal spices like cinnamon and anise on the stove until thick and bubbly then pour it all over the baked crust.  Here’s what you’ll need:

Ingredient Notes:

(Here are a few notes about the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe.  As always find the full list of ingredients and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

• Flour – You’ll need a combination of almond flour and arrowroot for these bars.
• Baking Powder – Use a grain-free baking powder if necessary.
• Palm Shortening – Use a non-hydrogenated palm shortening or butter for a non-vegan version.
• Maple Syrup – Use a light colored maple syrup.
• Vanilla – Use a good quality vanilla extract.
• Cranberries – You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries.
• Spices – You’ll need 1 stick of cinnamon and 1 star anise.

How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars:

(Here are the basic steps and some helpful tips on how to make the recipe.  Find the full directions in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.)

1. Whisk the almond flour, arrowroot, baking powder and salt together in large bowl. Add the palm shortening, maple syrup and vanilla extract and mix with a fork until a dough forms. Reserve a third of the dough and press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of a square baking pan. Bake until firm and set aside to cool.
2. In the meantime make the filling by combining the cranberries, maple syrup, cinnamon stick, star anise and water in a small saucepan and cook until bubbly and cranberries start to pop. In a small bowl whisk together arrowroot with a teaspoon of water and add to cranberry mixture to thicken. Remove from heat and spread evenly over the baked crust, then crumble the reserved topping over the top and return to oven.
3. Bake the bars until the filling starts to bubble and topping is golden brown, cool in pan on wire rack and cut into squares.

The result is a tender and crumb filled bar with a vibrant red filling peeking through; just as good as a fruit pie or tart, but portable and that you can eat with your hands. 

Happy baking!

More Bar Recipes:

• Gluten-Free Blondies
• No-Bake Almond Butter Bars
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars