Description
Delight your taste buds with these zesty Lemon-Cranberry Bars, featuring a buttery crust, tangy lemon filling, and bursts of whole berry cranberry sauce. Perfectly sweet and tart, these bars make an ideal dessert or festive treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- Cooking spray
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
Filling
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4 medium lemons)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup canned whole berry cranberry sauce
Finishing
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan and Crust: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan thoroughly with cooking spray and lightly dust with flour to prevent sticking. In a mixing bowl, cream together the unsalted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup of all-purpose flour and mix until just combined. Press this dough evenly into the prepared pan to form the crust.
- Bake the Crust: Place the crust in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until it turns a light golden brown along the edges. Remove from oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
- Make the Lemon Filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the 4 large eggs and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until smooth and light in color. Stir in the finely grated lemon zest, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Gradually add 1/2 cup flour and whisk until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix to keep the filling tender.
- Assemble and Add Cranberry Sauce: Pour the lemon filling over the cooled crust in an even layer. Spoon the canned whole berry cranberry sauce evenly atop the lemon filling, gently swirling slightly if desired but not thoroughly mixing to maintain bursts of cranberry flavor throughout.
- Bake the Bars: Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 35 minutes or until the filling is set and edges appear firm. A toothpick inserted near the center should come out with just a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
- Finish and Serve: Once the bars have cooled, dust the top generously with powdered sugar. Cut into 16 bars and serve. These bars are perfect chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs and butter to ensure smooth batter and even baking.
- You can substitute fresh cranberries cooked with sugar for canned cranberry sauce if preferred.
- Ensure the crust is baked until slightly golden to provide a firm base for the filling.
- Allow the bars to cool fully before slicing for clean cuts.
- These bars keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be served chilled.
- Dusting with powdered sugar adds sweetness and a beautiful finishing touch.
- For a more intense lemon flavor, add extra lemon zest or a teaspoon of lemon extract.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 237 kcal
- Sugar: 28.5 g
- Sodium: 138 mg
- Fat: 7.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 39.6 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 3.0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
