These shortbread bars with dried cranberries are sweet and crumbly, biscuit-like, squares with a crumbly texture that just melts in your mouth. Made with simple and easy ingredients, these take five minutes to mix and 20 mins to bake.

Table of Content
For me, it's the season of shortbread. Throughout the year I make lots of cookies but during fall I tend to make more shortbreads, bars, squares, and barks. Is it just me or do these just make you feel so much like Christmas?
Why make these bars
- These bars are sweet and crumbly with a biscuit-like texture and are the easiest gifts you can make when you are short on time.
- You don't need any fancy mixers or pans. Just a bowl and a spatula are all it takes to mix all ingredients and bake for 20 minutes.
- Now, I must warn you that these are extremely addictive so if you like shortbread, make extra or you won't have any to add to the gift bags.
- These do make simple, easy, and wonderful gifts for the holidays to family and friends.

Ingredients and substitutes
- Semolina - is the coarse purified wheat middlings of durum wheat used to make pasta and couscous. These days it is available in most supermarkets in the baking aisle. If you can't find semolina you may also use rice flour. The rice flour gives a more crispy texture to the squares while the semolina has a crumbly texture. Both are equally delicious.
- Unsalted butter - I always use unsalted butter for baking but if salted butter is all you have - use it and just omit the salt in the recipe.
- Vanilla - A good quality vanilla goes a long way especially in recipes like this where its flavor really shines thru.
- Cranberries - I love using dried as well as semi-dried plump cranberries. You can also use other dry fruits of course. Try dates, figs, and apricots. Just chop them into small pieces.
- Powdered sugar - this works great because it instant is absorbed into the butter enhancing that crumbly texture.

How to make cranberry shortbread bars
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4. Line a 9 x 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg and combine well. Next, add the semolina, salt, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour. Combine well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.

- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges start to get slightly golden.
- Remove and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. While still warm - cut into 16 squares as shown in the video
- Enjoy!

Variations
- Orange - Add a teaspoon of orange zest and ¼ teaspoon of orange extract to give the bars an orange flavor.
- Cream cheese - Frost the bars with a cream cheese frosting once baked and cooled.
- Chocolate - Drizzle some melted white chocolate over the bars once baked and cooked.

More bars recipes
- Apple Pie Bars with Crumble
- Best Cherry Bars or Best Apricot Crumble Squares
- Cranberry Shortbread Squares
- Chocolate Pecan Squares
- Chocolate Marzipan Squares - Christmas Treats
- Recipe for Pecan Pie Brownies or Pecan Blondies
- See all bars and blondies or brownies
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Printable Recipe
Dried Cranberry Shortbread Bars
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Video
Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 grams) Unsalted butter (room temperature)
- ¾ cup (90 g) Powdered sugar
- 1 large Egg
- ¼ cup (40 g) Semolina
- 1 ½ cup (190 g) All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup (75 g) Cranberries (dried)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4. Line a 9 x 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar. Add the egg and combine well. Next, add the semolina, salt, and vanilla extract. Followed by the flour. Combine well.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges start to get slightly golden.
- Remove and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. While still warm - cut into 16 squares as shown in the video
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Mary
Can i use this without semolina? and just use all purpose flour for the semolina equivalent? thank you in advance
Veena Azmanov
Semolina adds a nice crumbly texture to this shortbread recipe but yes, you an also use just all-purpose flour
Quyen
I cannot believe how easy these were to make. I made three batches of these to give as gifts - In one I made the exact recipe. I added cocoa powder to the second for a chocolate version and in the third, I added nuts. It was perfect.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much, Quyen. So happy you had success with this recipe and that you enjoyed making these so much. Your chocolate and nuts version sounds wonderful. Thank you for coming back to write this feedback. Appreciate it very much. I love hearing from those who try my recipes.
Denay DeGuzman
These cranberry shortbread squares look so delicious! A perfect recipe for the holidays.
Veena Azmanov
Thank you Denay.
Marisa Franca
We always have semolina in our house and these cranberry shortbread squares would be great to serve at Thanksgiving along with the other desserts. I like individual servings and I could put some in a gift bag so the guests could take some home. Great recipe.
Veena Azmanov
Absolutely Marisa
Camilla Hawkins
I bet these shortbread square taste amazing and very short! Love the addition of semolina and the cranberries!
Veena Azmanov
Very amazing Camila.