Cranberry Cream Cheese Streusel Bars with Buttery Crust
Rich layered bars featuring a buttery shortbread base, smooth cream cheese filling, tart cranberry sauce, and crumbly streusel topping. Perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or whenever you crave a bakery-style dessert. The overnight chilling step ensures clean cuts and proper setting of layers. This version balances sweet cream cheese with tangy cranberries while the double dose of streusel adds textural contrast.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cranberry sauce
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- 2
Beat butter and flour until crumbly and combined thoroughly
- 3
Transfer mixture to ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish and pat crust firmly and evenly using hands
- 4
Bake for 15 minutes, remove and cool completely
- 5
Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar until smooth on medium speed
- 6
Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until combined
- 7
Combine flour, confectioners sugar, butter and salt using pastry blender until mixture forms coarse crumbs
- 8
Toss ingredients with hands or fork until combined
- 9
Spread cream cheese mixture evenly over cooled crust leaving 1/4 inch edge all around
- 10
Spread thin layer of cranberry sauce over cream cheese
- 11
Sprinkle streusel topping over entire top
- 12
Bake for 40 minutes, remove and cool completely
- 13
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set overnight before cutting into squares
Tips
Let bars set overnight before cutting for cleanest slices and proper layer setting
Use room temperature cream cheese for smoothest filling without lumps
Pat crust firmly into pan to prevent crumbling when cutting finished bars
Good to Know
airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days
make up to 2 days ahead, cover and refrigerate
cut into squares, serve at room temperature
Common Mistakes
cool crust completely before adding filling to prevent melting
use overnight setting time to avoid messy cuts
Substitutions
FAQ
Can I freeze these bars?
Yes, wrap individual squares in plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before serving.
What if I don't have cranberry sauce?
Any thick jam or preserves work well. Try raspberry, strawberry, or apricot for different flavor profiles.
How long do these keep?
Store covered at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.