Cranberry Shortbread Bars
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.
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 the 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 through.
- 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 instantly absorbs 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.
- 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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Dried Cranberry Shortbread Bars
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
Video
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 tsp Vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ¾ cup (75 g) Cranberries dried
Method
- 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!
Can i use this without semolina? and just use all purpose flour for the semolina equivalent? thank you in advance
Semolina adds a nice crumbly texture to this shortbread recipe but yes, you an also use just all-purpose flour
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.
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.
These cranberry shortbread squares look so delicious! A perfect recipe for the holidays.
Thank you Denay.
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.
Absolutely Marisa
I bet these shortbread square taste amazing and very short! Love the addition of semolina and the cranberries!
Very amazing Camila.
I can imagine how light and tasty these squares are! They look perfect for various occasions, especially considering the time needed to fix them.
Thank you, April. yes very light and tasty
These cranberry shortbread squares look amazing! I am going to make a bunch of batches this year.
Thank you, Diana.
I only a few years ago started making shortbread during the Holidays. I love this cranberry shortbread. The fact that your Mom was also baking this is a great Holiday memory. I give cookie gifts and I am adding these to the list that we bake and give!
Thank you, Eileen. Yes, my mom loved baking very much.
Oooh, I’m a sucker for a good shortbread! I love the way you made it for the holidays – so good! ( great video too)
Thank you Kylee
Veena, your shortbread squares look absolutely perfect! So soft and I love the addition of the cranberries. I would love one right now with a cup of tea. XO
Thanks, Catherine