Cranberry Jam Bars

These bars began as a way to use up leftover cranberry sauce, and they’ve become a fixture of my holiday baking. The crust and the crumble topping are the same dough, so you make it once in the food processor, press half into the pan, and scatter the rest over the filling.

A little cinnamon, nutmeg and almond extract make the dough taste warm and festive, and the tart cranberry filling cuts right through the buttery crumb. If you don’t have cranberry sauce, any thick jam works. Apricot is particularly good.

They slice neatly, travel well, and keep for days, which makes them ideal for cookie swaps and holiday tins.

Why these jam bars work

• One dough does double duty as both the base and the crumble.

• Cold butter in the food processor gives a tender, shortbread-like crumb.

• Tart cranberry balances the sweet, buttery crust.

• They’re endlessly flexible. Use whatever jam you love.

Ingredients for cranberry jam bars

• Cranberry sauce: homemade or store-bought whole-berry sauce. My Easiest Homemade Cranberry Sauce is perfect here.

• Butter: keep it very cold for the best crumble.

• Almond extract: a small amount gives a lovely bakery flavor.

Ingredients
For the base and crumble

• 11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cubed

• 1½ cups (188 g) all-purpose flour

• ½ cup (100 g) sugar

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 large egg

• ¼ teaspoon almond extract

For the filling and topping

• About 1 cup cranberry sauce or your favorite thick jam

• Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Method

1. Heat the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.

2. Make the dough: Pulse all the base and crumble ingredients in a food processor just until a crumbly dough forms. Don’t overprocess.

3. Press the base: Press half the crumble firmly into the pan.

4. Fill: Spread a thick, even layer of cranberry sauce or jam over the base.

5. Top: Scatter the remaining crumble over the filling and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.

6. Bake: Bake for 30–35 minutes, until golden.

7. Cool and slice: Cool completely in the pan, then lift out and cut into 16 bars. Dessert is served.

Tips for the best jam bars

• Press the base firmly so the bars hold together when sliced.

• Leave a small border around the edge of the filling so it doesn’t stick to the pan.

• Cool completely before slicing for clean edges.

Substitutions

• Other jams: apricot, raspberry or cherry all work beautifully.

• No almond extract? Use ½ teaspoon vanilla.

• No food processor? Rub the cold butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, then mix in the egg.

How to store jam bars
Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week.

FAQ
Can I use canned cranberry sauce? Yes. Whole-berry sauce works best.
Can I double it? Yes. Use a 9×13 pan and bake for 35–40 minutes.
Can I freeze them? Yes. Freeze the cut bars for up to 3 months.

What I used
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• Food processor

• 8×8 baking pan

• Parchment paper