Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Bars are an unbeatable combination of buttery walnut shortbread and tart homemade cranberry curd. These cranberry bars are the first thing I make when I spot cranberries in the supermarket!
Cranberry walnut shortbread bars are amazing!!
I don’t know what I’m more excited about today, these Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Bars themselves, or the tangy homemade cranberry curd tucked inside. They’re homey and comforting but just different enough to be extra special, I’m really happy with the recipe. The curd filling is bright and tart, the walnut shortbread crust is buttery and soft, and the topping is, well, nutty. It’s so good, this is a must try recipe.
Homemade cranberry curd is easy to make in the microwave!
The cranberry curd is made with my favorite easy microwave method and it turns out gorgeously thick and glossy. If you love lemon curd and lemon bars, you will love these. Cranberries bring a similar tartness along with their distinctive berry flavor, and nothing can touch that color.
Fill your freezer with fresh cranberries while you can!
This is just one of the many reasons to stockpile lots of bags of cranberries now for use through the winter. Trust me on this, I’m going to be tempting you with cranberry goodies in February, and you’ll be upset if you can’t join in…
Most curds are made with juice, but I use a puree of fresh cranberries
Add a little sugar and some eggs, then about 3 minutes of microwaving, and, voila! You can also do it on the stove top if you like. One standard bag of cranberries will make two batches of this curd, so you can use one for the bars, and save the other for your morning toast and scones.
You are going to LICK the bowl clean.
The walnut shortbread dough is used for the crust and crumble topping
The fact that the bottom crust and crumble topping are the same dough makes this recipe so easy. I load it with nuts for an extra ‘walnutty’ flavor. Then I shower the whole thing with a layer of more nuts just before baking, which gives every bite a little crunch.
Bring the whole batch to a party, or a neighbor…or wrap one or two squares in waxed paper for a long day of work or travel. They’re mainstream enough to please everybody, but just different enough to elicit wows. They are going on my personal list of favorite recipes, I adore them.
More recipes that feature fresh cranberries ~
Cranberry Gingersnap Pie
Baked Brie with Maple Roasted Cranberries
Cranberry Walnut Wild Rice Porridge
What to Eat Now: Fresh Cranberries
Cranberry Walnut Shortbread Bars
Ingredients
- 1 heaping cup walnuts, plus a few extra for topping
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour, play around with whole wheat if you like
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 good cup cranberry curd, recipe here
Instructions
- Set oven to 375F
- lightly grease and line a 9×9 square baking pan with a parchment ‘sling’ so you will be able to life the bars out after baking to cut them cleanly.
- Put the walnuts in a food processor and pulse several times until they are finely chopped. Divide the ground nuts in half, and set aside.
- Put the flour and sugars in the processor and pulse to combine. Add in the soft butter, in pieces, as well as as HALF of the nuts. Process briefly to bring the dough together, until there is no more dry flour left. The mixture will have a coarse crumble texture.
- Measure out 1/2 cup of the dough and set it aside for the topping. Pat the rest of the dough into the bottom of the pan. Use your fingers to distribute the dough evenly. Cover the entire surface of the bottom…if you need a little extra take it from the reserved dough.
- Bake the crust for 15 minutes.
- Mix the reserved dough with the nuts, using your fingers to make a coarse crumble.
- Spread the cranberry curd out over the warm crust. Be careful, the dough will be soft.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the top. If you like you can sprinkle a few more finely chopped walnuts over that.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before cutting.
Notes
- The walnut shortbread crumble dough is particularly wonderful, so if you don’t have time to make the cranberry curd, you could certainly fill this with something else like store bought lemon curd, or jam, etc.
- I like to store these at room temperature, under loose foil. Plastic tends to make them soggy. Bars like this are at their very best the same day.
the link for the curd doesn’t work for me
Hmmm, it works for me, I’ll drop it here for you: https://theviewfromgreatisland.com/microwave-cranberry-curd/
substitute almonds for walnuts?
Sure, that would be fine.
I love almost all things cranberry so had to give this a try. I made the microwave cranberry curd and it is amazing and easy! On to the shortbread—somehow my crust didn’t come across as a coarse crumble texture and I thought I had misread the recipe. I had not so I proceeded with baking the bottom layer. When it came out of the oven, it was so soft I couldn’t imagine being able to spread the cranberry curd. What to do—as I was distracted with a few other tasks the crust was cooling and when I got back to it was a perfect place for the cranberry curd. So I finished up the recipe and while I describe my version as more rustic than yours, the taste was wonderful and a hit with my guests. All this to say I love your site and recipes and my foodie friends at work have been introduced to you and we have all cooked several things. Happy New Year!
Thank you so much Debbie, I’m so glad to be a part of your foodie group ~ here’s hoping for an even better 2019 together 🙂
These are incredible! I made them last night and will be adding to my favorites. The cranberry curd is to die for. I could eat it right out of the jar. 🙂
These look tasty and I will give them a try soon.
I just visited you YouTube channel and that looks good, too. I hope you decide to add playlists to it. I’m convinced it will increase viewership as time goes by. I’m further convinced it will be easier to do the sooner you start, rather than later, and I hope you add lists that are more specific than most of your competitors. Combining everything like breads, biscuits, scones etc into one category like “naked goods” will make this site more difficult to use.
Well, just my two cents.
Oh, I subscribed, and I promise to share your work.
Thanks David, I needed the youtube pep talk, it’s on my to do list!
I bought 3 large bags of cranberries yesterday from Sam’s for recipes such as these. I LOVE cranberries!!! Can’t wait to try them!
I’m with you, wish we could get fresh cranberries year round!
Hi Sue
I just wanted to say a big thank you for sharing all your great recipes. I live the UK and find the recipes work really well.
Anni
I’m really thrilled to hear that Anni ~ it’s a challenge to create recipes that span the two cultures and work for both.
Holiday’s winner !
Indulging! This is a very well worked recipe, Sue, thank you. I do shortbread bars, but I do not bake the crust. The way you do it gives a better whole baked bar. 10+!
Thanks Alexandra, this bar is based on one that I revive over and over every time I think of a new flavor profile, it’s so good!
Can frozen cranberries be used? Thank you!
Yes, that will work fine Dina.
Fab, fun, festive and SO delish! These look absolutely perfect for the holidays- cannot wait to try!