Cranberry Shortbread Bars

2 tablesppons cornstarch

2 cups of all purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup of unsalted butter at room temperature

1/3 cup of light brown sugar

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Cranberry Filling

2/3 cup of granulated white sugar

3 tablespoons of water

8 ounces of cranberries

Directions for Making Cranberry Shortbread Bars

Begin by preheating your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the wire rack in the center of you oven. Prepare a 9 x 9 inch pan with butter or non stick cooking spray.

Now it is time to prepare your cranberry filling. Place all of the cranberry filling ingredients in a medium sized saucepan. Over a medium-high heat, cook the ingredients until they boil. Continue to boil the filling until it is thick and syrupy which should take about 5 minutes. Take it off the heat and let it cool while you prepare the shortbread.

Next you will prepare the shortbreads. You will need a separate bowl to whisk the flour, salt, and cornstarch. In your electric mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the butter for about one minute until it is smooth. Then add the sugar and beat it for about 2 minutes until it is smooth. Add the vanilla extract. Stir in the flour mixture gently until all ingredients are incorporated.

Now take about 2/3 of the shortbread and press it evenly into the bottom of the pan that has previously been prepared. Next spread the cranberry filling evenly over the shortbread base, leaving a border of about ¼ inch.

Using the remaining 1/3 of the shortbread dough, use your fingers to crumble it over the top of the cranberry filling. Lightly press the dough into the filling. Now you are ready for baking. Bake the bars in the preheated oven for around 30 minutes. You will know the cranberry bars are finished when they become golden brown on the top.

Remove them from the oven, place them on a wire rack, and while they are still hot, cut them into 16 squares. Let them cool in the pan. This recipe will produce about 16 cranberry bars.