I recognize there is no shortage of sweet treats during this time of year. I enjoy baking with my son and sharing our goodies with neighbors and friends. There are many great recipes that use natural sugars (e.g., raw honey, pure maple syrup, or Stevia). While natural sugars are a better option than processed refined sweeteners, they are still ‘treats’ and should be enjoyed in moderation.
After Thanksgiving I had some cranberries leftover and wanted to create a cranberry treat to share at a Healthy Holiday Eating workshop. Cranberries contain a variety of phytonutrients which provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
These bars were adapted from two recipes created by Megan Gilmore (aka the Detoxonista) – Raspberry Almond Bars and Chocolate Pecan Crumble Bars. I hope you enjoy them!
You can check out some of our other favorite dessert recipes on my Pinterest treat board.
Cranberry Bars
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble Topping
- 3 cups of pecans
- 8 soft pitted Medjool dates
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Cranberry Filling
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 10 ounces of fresh cranberries
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- juice of half an orange
Directions
On the stove, heat the maple syrup over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Add cranberries, vanilla and orange juice. Simmer until cranberries start to burst and mash them gently with a potato masher, or the back of a spoon. Once cranberries have all been mashed and sauce has thickened, transfer to a glass jar and put in the fridge to cool.
Using a ’S’ blade, process pecans until ground in the food processor. Add in the remaining crust and crumble ingredients and process until blended. Set aside one cup of the mixture for the crumble topping. Press the remaining mixture into a 9×9 pan lined with parchment paper. Once cranberry filling has cooled, spread on top of the pecan mixture. Sprinkle the remaining cup of crumble on top of the cranberry mixture. Place in the refrigerator or freezer to set.