Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars
During the fall and early winter cranberries are abundant in the supermarket. It seems like right after January they disappear. Now is just the right time for these Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars!
Cranberries are high in fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants!
If you like sugar cookies with the sharp taste of cranberry, hints of orange, spice and nuts, bake up a batch of these bars. The fresh cranberries stay bright red as they cook in the oven.
Use fresh (or fully defrosted cranberries) in this recipe for best results. Alternatively, dried cranberries will work, too!
The Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars starts by creaming together room temperature butter, sugar, orange zest, almond and vanilla extract. Next is the eggs, and the dry ingredients. Don't overmix. The dough is finished by hand folding in the pecans, chocolate chips and the beautiful fresh red cranberries.
Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars fit in perfectly throughout the holiday season. This recipe makes about 24 bars, just right for sharing at the office, as gifts or for dessert.
You can substitute the pecans for almonds or walnuts based on your preference. Oatmeal would be a welcoming addition, too. For a sweeter bar, mix in white chocolate chips. Coconut and cranberries pair well together so you can add it to the Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars if you choose.
I've topped my Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars with candied cranberries, sturdier because they are glued with melted chocolate. You can also use a Hershey’s Kiss as a garnish. See the recipe below for Sugared Cranberries.
Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars
ingredients:
- 1 cup of unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar
- Zest of a large orange
- ½ teaspoon of almond extract
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups plus one tablespoon of all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
- ½ teaspoon of each nutmeg, cinnamon and salt
- ½ cup of chopped pecans
- ½ cup of mini chocolate chips, plus one tablespoon reserved
- 1 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries
instructions:
How to cook Sweet Tart Cranberry Pecan Bars
- Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare a 9x13" baking dish (ceramic dish if possible) with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or hand mixer), combine the room temperature butter, sugar and zest until fluffy. Add the extracts and room temperature eggs. Next, mix in the flour, baking powder, soda and spices. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl. Fold in pecans, 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and cranberries gently by hand.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared baking dish. Top evenly with remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes, rotating halfway through the bake. Cool in the dish for 20 minutes, lift via the parchment paper, then transfer to a rack.
NOTES:
Sugared Cranberries Ingredients 2 1/2 cups of granulated sugar, divided 1/2 cup of water 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 1 12 oz. bag of fresh cranberries Directions In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water on medium- high heat until it bubbles. Remove from the heat. Stir in extract. Let cool 30-45 minutes. Add cranberries until coated. On a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper, spread remaining sugar. Using a slotted spoon, roll cranberries in sugar evenly. Let harden completely at room temperature, about 2 hours. Break up the cranberries and use as a garnish. If you have leftover sugared cranberries, make into a sauce!
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