Cranberry Bars With Cream Cheese Frosting: A Sweet, But Not-Too-Sweet, Holiday Dessert

Got fresh cranberries? This is one of my favorite holiday dessert recipes. It is sweet, but not too sweet. This is a “secret” family recipe. Shhhhhh. Don’t tell I shared it with you.

Get the full recipe below along with six other fresh-cranberry recipes to try this year!

It seems wrong to keep this deliciousness from the world. I can’t resist sharing this with you. The layer of buttercream cheese frosting is heaven. Nom. Nom. Nom. And, of course, you have to use FRESH cranberries (or freshly frozen)…

Here is the recipe, my friend…

Cream Cheese Frosted Cranberry Bars

Yield: 12-15 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

The perfect holiday dessert bar.

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Ingredients

Bar Ingredients

• 2 Eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups Sugar
• 1/2 cup Butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cup Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking powder
• 2 cups Cranberries (raw)
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Frosting Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter (one stick)
• 8 oz pkg Cream cheese, softened
• 2 cups Powdered sugar

Instructions

Bars

Beat eggs add bar ingredients as listed stirring well after each addition.

Spread into a greased and floured 9×13 pan.

Bake 350 for 40-45 minutes.

Cool and frost.

Frosting

Starting with 1 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar, mix ingredients until well blended. Add additional sugar to your desired consistency.

Spread over cooled bars.

Enjoy and make sure to refrigerate leftovers!

Notes

The amounts for the frosting make this is a nice THICK layer on top! You can make the recipe with reduced sugar by cutting frosting amounts in half for a thinner top layer.

Every fall my mother-in-law brings me a large stash of fresh cranberries from their local Cranfest. There are so many wonderful ways to utilize fresh cranberries. Here are a few more ideas…

6 More Fresh Cranberry Recipes

1. My good friend Tiffany has a recipe for Cranberry Apple Crunch Cobbler up on her site.
2. Skip the canned cran, use your berries in this Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce recipe this Thanksgiving.
3. Ok, ok, this recipe doesn’t officially call for fresh cranberries, but it sounded too delicious not to share: Cranberry Brandy Lemonade Slush. Throw a few fresh berries in your glass for decoration!
4. This recipe Cranberry Upside Down Cake is from Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess: Baking and the Art of Comfort Cooking. Who can resist that title? Jean of the Artful Parent says, “It pairs sweet and sour, which I personally think is one of the best matches in the dessert world.” This recipe is on my must-try list!
5. Every year I make a big batch of Cranberry Orange Muffins. I freeze half and enjoy them all winter with hot tea in the morning. *Note: I don’t use glaze on the muffins for the freezer.
6. This Sparkly Sugared Cranberries recipe is unique!

Don’t be hesitant to find alternative uses for your berries! Your kids will love this activity…

Make a Nature Ice Wreath
Get full instructions

Do you have a favorite fresh cranberry recipe? Share it in the comments. I’d love to try something new.

PS: Check out our latest holiday inspiration…

This post is dedicated to Kathy Klein. Over the years I’ve picked up multiple baking, cooking, and hosting tips from this lovely lady. Thank you, THANK YOU!

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