Chewy Cranberry Coconut Pecan Bars

Last year we did a lot of rolled cookies, and this year we are big into making some treats that are easy to make, divide and package. We found yet another recipe from Taste of Home that we wanted to try, so we did!

With a shortbread base, the combination of the fresh cranberries, coconut and pecans in the topping is absolutely delightful and makes these bars a perfect holiday dessert. Fresh cranberries are available at the store this time of year and, depending on the harvest season, you'll find them between October and December. The rest of the year, you can generally find them in the frozen fruit section.

Prep: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 to 45 minutes
Yield: 24 bars

Ingredients (shortbread base):​

• 1 cup  GF Patisserie All Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ unsalted butter, cold and cubed
•  ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
• 2 tbsp milk

Ingredients (cranberry coconut pecan topping):​

• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 2 tbsp GF Patisserie All Purpose Flour 
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp grated orange or lemon zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped
•  ⅓ cup pecans, chopped
•  ⅓ cup unsweetened shredded coconut

​Method (shortbread base):

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a 9 x 13-inch pan (this is a quarter sheet size baking pan) with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, combine the 1 cup of flour and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Cut in the butter until crumbly, then add the 2 tablespoons of milk.
4. Stir in the ⅓ cup of chopped pecans.
5. Press the dough into an even layer on the prepared pan.
6. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until set.​

Method (cranberry coconut topping):

1. While the cookie base is baking, prepare the topping.
2. In a bowl, combine the egg, egg whites, milk, orange or lemon zest, vanilla extract, and remaining flour and sugar.
3. Fold in the cranberries coconut, and the other ⅓ cup chopped pecans. 
4. Pour the mixture over the warm cookie base, spreading evenly.
5. Bake an additional 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden.
6. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Tips:

• Fresh cranberries can usually be found in the store between October and December, depending on the harvest season. The rest of the year you should be able to find them in the frozen fruit section.
• You can use either orange or lemon zest, we used lemon because that's what we had on hand.
• Make sure to line your pan with parchment paper hanging over the edges. This ensures you can remove the bars from the pan without sticking.