Gluten-free Cranberry Sauce Bars

These gluten-free cranberry sauce bars are made with a delicious cinnamon shortbread cookie base, and a homemade tart yet sweet cranberry sauce top.

I am SO excited about these yummy cranberry sauce bars!  They have a delicious paleo cinnamon shortbread cookie base, and a homemade tart yet sweet cranberry sauce top.

They are a great way to use all those extra cranberries in the fridge, and to get in the holiday spirit. Plus they are a wonderful grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo dessert option to make for any holiday party or dinner.

Recipe ingredients

• cranberries– fresh cranberries are needed to make the cranberry sauce.
• maple syrup– make sure to use pure maple syrup.
• olive oil– this is used to replace the butter in the shortbread part of this recipe.
• lemon juice– this is used to season the cranberry sauce.
• egg– this helps bind the shortbread cookie batter.
• vanilla– this nicely seasons the cookie.
• almond flour– make sure to use blanched almond flour because it is more refined in texture.
• coconut sugar– this sugar is considered Paleo and has a lower glycemic index than other sugars.
• baking soda– this is used to help the shortbread rise.
• cinnamon– this seasons the cookie and the cranberry sauce.

See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.

Step by step instructions

Step 1: Make the cranberry sauce.

To do so you need to add cranberries, maple syrup and water to a pan and cook them for 15 minutes.

Step 2: Make the shortbread.

To do this, you mix the oil, lemon juice, large egg, and vanilla in a food processor and mix. Then add the almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda to the food processor and mix again until a dough forms.

Then push the dough into a pan, and bake for 20 minutes. Add the cranberry sauce then cook for 10 more minutes.

Other healthier cookie recipes you may enjoy:

Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!

5 from 9 votes

Gluten-free Cranberry Sauce Bars

By: Dominique

Servings: 9 squares

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 30 minutes mins

Total: 45 minutes mins

A grain-free, dairy-free, gluten-free, paleo dessert made with a delicious cinnamon shortbread cookie base, and a homemade tart yet sweet cranberry sauce top. 

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 12 ounces fresh cranberries
• ▢ 1/3 cup maple syrup
• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 2 Tbs olive oil
• ▢ 1 Tbs lemon juice
• ▢ 1 large egg
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups almond flour
• ▢ 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• ▢ ¾ tsp cinnamon
• ▢ ¼ tsp baking soda

Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cover an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
• Then make the cranberry sauce. Add the cranberries, maple syrup and water to a sauce pan and cook for 15 minutes over medium heat, until the cranberries have popped, and the mixture is thick. Set the cranberry sauce aside.
• Next make the bar mixture/dough. Put the olive oil, lemon juice, large egg, and vanilla into a food processor and beat until well mixed. Then add the almond flour, coconut sugar, cinnamon, and baking soda to the food processor and mix again. Mix until the mixture forms into a thick dough.
• Push the dough into the pan, trying to make an even layer. It helps to wet your hands so that the dough doesn’t stick to you.
• Cook the bar mixture/ dough for 20 mins. Remove the pan from the oven and top the bars with the cranberry sauce, making sure the cranberry sauce is spread in an even layer. Cook for 10 more minutes.
• Cool completely in the pan prior to cutting into the bars. Lift the bars out of the pan using parchment paper. Cut into squares before serving; can be cut into 9 or 12 squares, depending on the size you want.

Notes

• To store: cover and keep these bars in the fridge for 3-4 days.
• To serve: you can serve as is OR top with some whipped cream or ice-cream.

Nutrition

Calories: 212kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 5gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 53mgPotassium: 68mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 53IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

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