If you’re craving something sweet and tart with a buttery, crumbly crust, these Gluten-Free Cranberry Shortbread Bars are the perfect treat. Each bite is filled with sweet, tart cranberries and buttery shortbread, with just the right touch of sweetness. Whether you’re using fresh cranberries or holiday leftovers, this easy recipe is a festive favorite you’ll want to make again and again.
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Cranberries are one of those treasured holiday ingredients we love. Their sweet-tart flavor works well in recipes ranging from sweet to savory. I couldn’t wait to share this new recipe with you.
I am on sweets overload here, and I had to freeze several to hide them from myself. I have been recipe testing, tasting, and eating a lot lately, and I needed to make some of the sweets disappear.
If you love cranberries as much as I do, wait until you try this gluten-free cranberry bread!! These cranberry shortbread cookies would taste amazing with vanilla ice cream served on top! If you love cranberry sauce, you will also want to try my Gluten-Free Cranberry Hand Pies.
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend and King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends may work, but you may need to adjust the moisture levels according to the blend used.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter. For dairy-free, use vegan butter.
- Fresh Cranberries – Pick out any mushy berries. You can also use leftover cranberry sauce instead of making your own.
A Note From My Kitchen
These bars were born from a holiday baking frenzy. I had too many sweets piling up on the counter and knew I needed to stash some in the freezer before I ate them all! The bright, tangy cranberries paired so well with the rich shortbread base that I knew I had to share the recipe with you.
This recipe works well with both fresh cranberries and leftover cranberry sauce. I tested it using Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur Measure for Measure blends. If you’re using a different gluten-free flour blend, you may need to adjust moisture levels slightly. For a dairy-free version, vegan butter works well in both the crust and topping.
How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars:
Step 1: Add the whole cranberries and the remaining cranberry sauce ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Don’t be surprised if you hear some popping noise. Occasionally stir the mixture and smash some of the cranberries against the side of the pot to crush them.
Step 2: Add your dry ingredients to a bowl. Whisk to blend. Add the cold butter in chunks to the bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until your crust is crumbly. (You can also use a food processor to do this.)
👀 Sandi Says: If you don’t have a pastry blender, freeze the butter and use a large cheese grater to shred the butter into the flour mixture.
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Step 3: Add 3/4 of the crust dough to a greased 8×8 baking dish. (Save the other 1/4 to be used for the crumble topping.) Press the dough down into the baking dish. Bake the crust at 350°F for 8 minutes.
Step 4: Pour the cranberry sauce mixture over the partially baked shortbread. Spread it out to cover the shortbread crust.
Step 5: Crumble the remaining shortbread mixture over the cranberries. Bake. Allow to cool completely before slicing.
Flavor Variations:
Feel free to customize this recipe. Fresh cranberries are hard to find year-round, so feel free to substitute your favorite fruit, such as blue, black, or strawberries!
- Fruit Swap – Try blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, or a jam layer instead of cranberries. I have a version of Gluten-Free Blueberry Bars with an oat crumble.
- Add chopped pecans to the bottom shortbread layer
- Add white chocolate chips!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Yes! This recipe is perfect for using up extra sauce from Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Look for the fruit layer to bubble up at the edges and the topping to be lightly golden.
Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 4 months.
More Gluten-Free Cookie Recipes:
If you love baking cookies and cookie bars, I have a ton of great gluten-free cookie bar recipes. I can’t wait to hear which is your favorite!
Love This Recipe?
Did you make these cranberry shortbread bars? Leave a comment below and let me know how they turned out, especially which flour blend you used! Your feedback helps other readers, and it helps me continue to create better recipes for you.
Gluten-Free Cranberry Bars with Crumble Topping
Ingredients
Crust
- 1 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons water crust (Add one then if you need more add accordingly)
Cranberry Layer
- 1 package fresh cranberries
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For Crumble
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, whisk your gluten-free flour, xanthan gum (if needed), and sugar. Add cold butter in chunks and cut it into the flour using a pastry blender until the mixture forms coarse crumbs.
- Don't have a pastry blender? Freeze the butter and grate it into the flour using a box grater for an easy shortcut.
- Add the water to form a dough. Pour 3/4 of the crust into a greased 8×8 pan.
- Grease an 8×8-inch pan, or line it with parchment paper. Press ¾ of the shortbread dough evenly into the bottom. Bake the crust at 350°F for 5-8 minutes, just until the edges begin to set.
- In a small pot, combine cranberries, orange juice, zest, and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until the berries burst and the sauce thickens slightly. Stir often and gently press some berries against the pot to help them pop and break down.
- Let the cranberry mixture cool for 5 minutes.
- Spread the cranberry mixture over the warm shortbread crust, using a spoon or spatula to smooth it into an even layer.
- Take the remaining 1/4 crust mixture and add the brown sugar to it, Mix with a fork to crumble it.
- Sprinkle the crumble over the cranberry layer as a crumble topping. Return to the oven and bake for 22-25 minutes, or until the topping is lightly golden and the fruit is bubbling at the edges.
- Cool completely before slicing for clean squares. Chilling the bars helps them firm up and slice more easily.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF, Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend, and Authentic Foods Multi Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain Xanthan Gum or Guar Gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter with vegan butter.
- These bars will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I’ve made these before and everybody loved them, but this time I tried Vio Life plant based butter, which is coconut based, and it didn’t work at all. The dough actually turned into liquid. They were still good, but with a dense candy-like base. I also used Mykono’s and had the same result with the lemon short bread. I suspect any butter that is coconut based will have the same problem because it has such a low melt point.
Hi Janet, I haven’t tried this recipe with VioLife. I have used Smart Balance in this recipe with good results.
I’d love to try these and wondering how to make them refined sugar free?
Hi Sara, I know people use swerve in my recipes, but I haven’t tried it personally.
How much is a package of cranberries. I would like a better measurement
Hi Claire, the bags can vary quite a bit. The one I used was 16 ounces.
We absolutely love this recipe at the holidays! This weekend I tried it with a strawberry & rhubarb filling. Family loved it! Doubled the crust to fit a 9×13 pan. Cooked shortbread for 20 min ( larger pan). Filling was 4.5 cups chopped rhubarb, 1 lb fresh strawberries, 1 cup sugar, 2 tsp vanilla. Simmered for 10 minutes.
Final bake was 40-45 min (again due to larger pan).
Make sure not to simmer the filling too long or it all becomes a yummy soup in the final bake.
I’m excited to see what other flavors may work as the shortbread and crumb are delicious!
Wow, what a delicious filling idea. Thank you so much for sharing your strawberry rhubarb version. I can’t wait to try it.
I will hopefully be making these today. I would like to add a layer of creamcheese on the shortbread then add the cranberry sauce. Have you tried doing this? Would I have to add anything to the creamcheese?
Thanks
Darleen
That sounds delicious! I do this with my strawberry cream cheese bars (recipe is also on my blog), but I drop dollops of cream cheese on.
Sandi these bars were delightful. I made them for the Bazaar at the church and as it passed through the baking room I had a complement on them right away. my husband liked the look of them so much he bought some. I also think they are delicious.
I am so glad everyone at your church loved them!! Yay to your hubby, he knew that would be the only way to get some 🙂
This is an outstanding treat!
moist, not gritty and cranberries add a great tart taste! Excellent!
I am so glad you loved it. Thank you so much for coming back to let others know, Len.
This looks delicious. If you double the recipe, would it work with a 9×13 pan?
Hi Kathy, yes, that should fill an 8×8 pan. You may need to bake it longer given the larger amount.
Will it fill a 9×13 pan to double it?
Hi Kathy, it should fit in a 9×13 pan if you double the recipe. Thank you.
These were delicious! I used wild organic blueberry preserves that we always buy from Costco. I’m newly diagnosed with celiac disease and it is nice to find a yummy dessert recipe that everyone enjoyed. Brought it to a Christmas gather and everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe!
I am so glad you liked these. I would love if you would star rate the recipe so others can see. Thank you!
Did I miss something? When do you add the water?
Hi Laurie, mix it in after cutting the butter into the flour. Thank you.
This was fabulous and I will definitely make it again. Changes I made were:
1. I lined the 8×8 pan with parchment paper that overhangs the edges. When the dessert was cool, I could just lift it out. In hindsight, I don’t know if this was necessary, but it sure made cutting easy.
2. Added 1/4 tsp of vanilla to the shortbread crust ingredients.
3. Used frozen cranberries without defrosting them. I used scissors to cut the berries near the end of the cooking time–they didn’t pop on their own and a spoon was useless. I also used medium heat until the end when filling began to thicken.
4. Added 1/4 tsp Watkins orange extract to berry mixture while it cooked.
5. Drizzled a vanilla & powdered sugar glaze over cooling bars.
Thank you so much for coming back to talk about how you made these. I am sure it will give readers more ideas. I am glad you liked them :-).
The recipe is accurate and easy to make . The bars are delicious.
I am so glad you liked them!! You can also make with blueberries or strawberries 🙂
Tried this recipe out and unfortunately the crust never fully baked 🙁 most gluten free flours don’t include the Xthanam in them and if that is what is needed for the crust to set up please note at the beginning of the recipe I was so sad I spent so much time following every step. Just a friendly suggestion.
Hi Jessica, I am so sorry this didn’t turn out for you. There was a note about the Xanthan Gum, but I moved it to the Notes section of the recipe card so it will be more clear. I also link the two gluten free flour blends I recommended, but there are so many other brands that I have not tested. I hope you will give this recipe another try. Thank you.
Hi,
The recipe calls for one package of fresh cranberries. Can you tell me how big that is or how many cups of cranberries that might be?
Thanks,
Anne
Hi Anne it is the larger package (usually there is one size of Ocean Spray fresh cranberries in stores.) I am at the airport flying home so I can check the exact measurement when I get in.
I buy my cranberries in bulk. How many ounces, or cups, are in your bag, please?
Hi Penny, the bag has just a little over 2 cups of fresh cranberries. I hope that helps :-).
If we want to substitute in a jam instead of the cranberry sauce as suggested how much jam should we use?
Hi Megan, I am not sure because I haven’t used jam…you want to use enough to coat the bottom crust layer. Let me know how it turns out :-).
Would this crust recipe work for the bottom of a cheese cake?
Hi Brenda, it probably would but the crust isn’t that sweet. If you are looking for a good cheesecake crust, I have several that may taste better if you would like.
Hi, I made these yesterday and honestly are one of the most delicious things I have ever made!! Thank you so much. I used a rice gluten free flour and coconut sugar so it came out darker but amazing! I am probably going to finish the whole thing in a day! Delicious!! ?
I am so glad you loved this recipe Ashley, thank you for coming back to let me know. You can make these with any fruit 🙂
Would this recipe work with coconut oil instead of the butter? Have you and/or any readers tried it with coconut oil?
Thank you!
Hi Tiffany. In theory it should work with coconut oil, but I haven’t tried it. Please come back and let us know how it turns out if you give it a try.
Over the next while I have some of your wonderful recipes to try, I love love love the simple ingredients and having tried enough g/f baking at this point, well you get an idea and I cannot wait for these cranberry shortbreads for the season. Thank you so much for your time and wonderful recipes. Can’t wait to get some cranberries now.
Wow Karen, thank you so much. You made my day 🙂
Where is the actual recipe??!!
I would love to have this recipe. But, where it says, “(add recipe)” at the bottom of the blog entry, it is blank. No recipe transferred to my e-mail. It looks yummy and my mouth is watering. I hope you could rectify that for me. Thanks.
Hi Lora, You are so right and I am so sorry. I added the recipe card in. I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving.
Dear Sandi!
I just showed my husband your delicious Easy Gluten Free Cranberry Shortbread Bars and he said ‘oooh – those look delicious! We have to try those! Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the recipe for them. I even scrolled through your gorgeous pictures several times because I was sure I had missed it, but it doesn’t seem to be there. Can you please add the recipe to your post? Many thanks in advance and by the way: Happy National Cake Day! 😉
Esther
I sent an email as well. I am so sorry this was left off. We had a family emergency over the holiday and I didn’t realize I didn’t add that in when I scheduled it to post. The recipe is there now Esther, thank you so much.