Cranberry Shortbread Crumble Bars

Step 1

Add your fresh cranberries, orange juice, lemon juice and zest, sugar, vanilla and salt to a medium sauce pan.

Step 2

Simmer on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Step 3

Reduce heat to low and simmer for another 10-15 minutes or until the cranberries begin to burst and the sauce thickens. To test for the right thickness of the sauce, dip a spoon into the cranberry sauce and coat it well. Remove the spoon from the sauce and run your finger down the back of the middle of the spoon. If the line you made through the sauce on the spoon stays and does not fill up again with the sauce from the sides then it is ready.

Step 4

Once done, remove from the stove and allow to come to room temperature. The sauce will thicken a bit at this point.

Step 5

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Step 6

Spray or butter a 9x11-inch pan well so your shortbread comes out easy after baking.

Step 7

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, combine the butter sugar (brown and white) and beat until smooth.

Step 8

Next, add your vanilla and salt and mix that in.

Step 9

Now, add your your all purpose flour into the butter mixture and mix on low-speed until the mixture starts to form a ball .

Step 10

Divide your dough in half and wrap up one half and place in the refrigerator until later. Press the other half of the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the bottom crust.

Step 11

Bake the crust until it is just beginning to turn light brown, around 20 minutes.

Step 12

Remove the pan from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Step 13

Place your cranberry sauce over top of the shortbread crust and spread evenly.

Step 14

Now, take your reserved half of the shortbread out of the refrigerator and crumble the dough over the cranberry sauce to make your crumbled topping, being careful to not have really large pieces.

Step 15

Return the pan to the oven and continue baking for another 30-35 minutes until the crumble topping turns golden in color. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Step 16

Once cooled, your can slice up your Cranberry crumble bars and serve!

Step 17

Dust with powdered sugar (optional)

Step 18

Enjoy!!