Description
Buttery shortbread bars topped with a tart cranberry filling and a vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 3 1/4 cups (405 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla (for the filling)
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (for the glaze)
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
- Add the egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla, mixing to combine well and scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl; do not overmix.
- Set aside roughly 2 cups of the dough (loosely packed) and reserve to use on top of the crumble.
- Press the remaining shortbread dough into an 8 x 8 baking pan lined with parchment paper, using your hands or the flat side of a measuring cup to press it evenly into the corners.
- Bake at 350?F for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the center is just set; do not overbake.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow the crust to cool slightly while you make the cranberry filling.
- In a large bowl, mix together the cranberries, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then pour the cranberry mixture over the pre-baked crust.
- Use your hands to break up the reserved 2 cups of shortbread dough into smaller, flat pieces and place them randomly on top of the cranberry filling, leaving space for the cranberries to peek through.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, covering the top of the pan with aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time so the crumble does not turn too dark.
- Remove the bars from the oven, place the pan on a wire rack, and cool completely before mixing the powdered sugar, milk or cream, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to make the glaze and drizzling it over the cooled bars.
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hr