Apple Cranberry Bars
Submitted by ragdoll51
Soft-baked bars with apples, cranberries, and nuts baked into orange-scented batter, then frosted with tangy orange cream cheese icing. Perfect for holiday cookie trays.
YIELD
2 dozenPREP
25 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThese bars bake up cake-like and soft, packed with chopped apples, fresh cranberries, and nuts. Orange zest runs through both the bars and the cream cheese frosting, tying everything together with bright citrus notes.
The bars stay moist for days thanks to all that fruit.
Frost them while completely cool, then cut into squares. The orange buttercream sets up just firm enough to stack them on a platter without smearing.
Baking Tips
- Chop apples and cranberries into similar-sized pieces
- Beat the batter for 2-3 minutes for light texture
- Cool completely before frosting to prevent melting
- Use light frosting coverage so the bars don’t become too sweet
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃) F, grease a 15×10×1 inch jelly roll pan.
In a large mixer bowl, combine the sugar, butter, eggs, orange peel and vanilla extract.
Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl often, for 2 to 3 minutes until well mixed.
Reduce the speed to low; add the flour, baking soda and salt.
Continue beating, scraping the bowl often, for 1 to 2 minutes until well mixed.
By hand, stir in the apples, cranberries and nuts.
Spread in the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool completely.
In a small mixer bowl, combine the butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract.
Beat on medium speed, scraping the bowl often, for 1 to 2 Reduce the speed to low. Continue beating, gradually adding the powdered sugar, orange peel and enough milk for desired spreading consistency. Thinly frost the cooled bars, cut into bars.
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