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Paula Deen's Cranberry Almond Bars | Can't Stay Out of the Kitchen | fabulous #PaulaDeen #cookie recipe with a streusel crust and topping. The filling is made with fresh #cranberries & #pineapple preserves & #almonds on top. This is a terrific #dessert for #Christmas baking.

Cranberry Almond Bars

Teresa Ambra
Cranberry Almond Bars is a fantastic Paula Deen recipe. This festive and elegant holiday baking dessert bar has a cranberry and pineapple preserves layer, a sliced almond layer, and an oatmeal streusel topping and crust. These lovely cookies are wonderful for holiday baking and Christmas Cookie Exchanges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Cookies, Brownies and Bars, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 48
Calories 149 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 10x15 cookie sheet pan or baking dish
  • 1 large mixing bowl
  • 1 pastry blender
  • 1 wooden spoon
  • measuring cups
  • measuring spoons
  • 1 medium sauce pan
  • 1 spatula

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups UNBLEACHED all-purpose flour bleached flour toughens baked goods
  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar firmly packed
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 6 tbsp. water
  • 1/2 cup pineapple preserves
  • 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups almonds sliced

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350˚.
  • Spray a 10x15” baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.
  • Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
  • Reserve 1 ½ cups crumb mixture.
  • Press remaining crumb mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water.
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
  • Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-10 minutes or until mixture is thickened.
  • Stir in pineapple preserves.
  • Spread cranberry mixture over crumb mixture in pan.
  • Top evenly with almonds.
  • Sprinkle reserved 1 ½ cups crumb mixture over almonds.
  • Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
  • Let cool for 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Notes

NOTE: You may want to freeze or refrigerate the bars first before cutting.
 
NOTE: I doubled the filling ingredients because the original amounts seemed too skimpy.
 
NOTE: Pineapple preserves are not always easy to find. Walmart carries a Smuckers brand occasionally.
 
Recipe adapted from Paula Deen.
 
© Can’t Stay Out of the Kitchen

Nutrition

Calories: 149kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 29mgPotassium: 69mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 123IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 30mgIron: 1mg
Keyword almonds, cookie, cranberry, dessert, pineapple
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