Hellllo cranberry cobbler bars!
This is a perfect holiday dessert you can make ahead. It’s a great option if you’re not into pumpkin — and yes, it’s a gorgeous hot-pink color!
These bars are inspired by a blueberry-peach cobbler bar but with a seasonal cranberry twist. They begin with a buttery shortbread crust, a fruity cranberry filling, and finish with a crumbly topping. The result is sweet, tart and deeply comforting — all the things you want in a fall dessert.
The cranberry layer is cooked so it holds together inside the bars. That means a little extra work compared to raw-fruit bars, but it’s worth it. You can also prepare the cranberry filling a day or two in advance to simplify holiday prep.
If you already make whole-berry cranberry sauce from scratch, that can be used here. It’s also perfectly fine to use a can of whole-berry cranberry sauce (avoid the jellied variety) — handy when you need a quick shortcut.
These bars always get a great reaction. I’ve shared a strawberry version before, and the concept is the same: a shortbread base, a fruit-forward filling and a crumble topping. You can adapt the fruit to what you love; cranberries just bring a festive, seasonal tang.
They’re excellent made ahead, leftovers are still delicious, and they travel well — perfect for holiday parties or to send guests home with a treat.
Everyone always loves these bars — they’re easy, comforting and reliably tasty. The cranberry filling balances the sweet, buttery shortbread and the crumbly topping beautifully.
Make them ahead, cool completely, slice into squares and enjoy. They’re a wonderful addition to any holiday spread.
Cranberry Cobbler Bars
Cranberry Cobbler Bars
16 to 20 bars
Ingredients
Cranberry layer
- 3 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
Crust and topping
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
Filling
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup half and half
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Make the cranberry filling first: combine cranberries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring often, until the berries begin to burst, the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
- For the crust and topping: stir flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add melted butter and mix until a shortbread-like dough forms. Press half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared dish.
- For the filling: whisk together eggs, half and half, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and cornstarch in another bowl. Gently fold in the cooled cranberry mixture.
- Pour the filling over the crust, then crumble the remaining dough over the top. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until the bars are set and no longer jiggly. Cool completely — this is important; you can even cool overnight — before slicing into squares.
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Dream dessert!