Cranberry Shortbread Bars are made with a delicious shortbread bottom and streusel topping. You can use leftover or canned cranberry sauce for this recipe.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper; set aside.
In a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, add in the flour, ½ cup cubed butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Place the lid on the food processor and pulse the mixture until it is well combined and resembles sand. Press the mixture into the baking pan using the bottom or a cup or with a spatula.
Gently spread the cranberry sauce over top of the shortbread; set aside.
In the same food processor, add in the streusel topping ingredients: rolled oats, brown sugar, ½ cup flour, ¼ cup cubed butter, and cinnamon. Pulse the mixture until combined and it resembles a coarse crumb. Sprinkle the streusel over the cranberry layer.
Place the bars on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Let the bars cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares.
Notes
The entire recipe is made in the food processor. No need to wash it out after making the shortbread layer.
The shortbread mixture will appear very crumbly; this is normal. Just pour it into the pan and press it in using the bottom of a measuring cup, a spatula, or clean hands.
If you don't have leftover cranberry sauce you can use canned. I like the Ocean Spray whole berry cranberry sauce here.
Just pulse the streusel mixture in the food processor until the butter is combined. You still want bit of rolled oats in there so be careful not to over-process.
Cool the bars completely before removing from the baking pan using the parchment. Cut into squares once cooled.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week. You can also freeze for up to a month.