Cranberry Nut Bars
Cranberry Nut Bars are a great way to use leftover cranberries from Thanksgiving. The original version calls for walnuts, but pecans work well.
Servings 16
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or use ½ teaspoon vanilla and ¼ teaspoon orange zest
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 130 grams
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter 80 grams
- ⅜ scant teaspoon of salt add only ⅛ if using salted butter
- 1 ¼ cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans lightly toasted
Icing
- ⅓ cup confectioners' sugar
- A few drops of water and vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8 inch square baking pan with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
- Beat eggs in a medium mixing bowl until thick. Gradually add sugar, beating until thoroughly blended. Stir in flour, melted butter and salt; blend well with a heavy duty scraper. Add cranberries and nuts, mixing gently just until combined. Spread evenly in pan.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely and drizzle with icing if desired.
- To make icing, put confectioners' sugar into a large measuring cup. Add a few drops of vanilla, then add water a few drops at a time, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and thin enough to be drizzled across the top.
Notes
To toast the nuts, lay them on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 6 minutes or until the start to release their oils and become shiny.
For thinner bars, bake in a 9 inch square pan.
To make cranberry nut crisps, slice the baked square into thin (about ⅓ of an inch) slices and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 20 to 28 minutes or until the crisps just barely start to brown around the edges. Let them cool (they'll become crisper as they cool) on a wire rack).
For thinner bars, bake in a 9 inch square pan.
To make cranberry nut crisps, slice the baked square into thin (about ⅓ of an inch) slices and bake in a 300 degree oven for about 20 to 28 minutes or until the crisps just barely start to brown around the edges. Let them cool (they'll become crisper as they cool) on a wire rack).