These keto Cranberry Bars boast a crunchy, buttery crust, topped with a sweet and tart cranberry layer and a toasty pecan streusel topping. Perfect for breakfast or a sweet treat, these will be your new favorite low carb cranberry bars!
Recently a fellow blogger put out a request for keto cranberry themed recipes for an upcoming roundup post, and I realized that I didn’t have very many to offer.
There were a couple of main dishes – like these festive turkey meatballs with cranberry glaze, and my cranberry apricot glazed ham, but no baked goods or keto treats of any kind that celebrated the beautiful and complex cranberry!
So I set out to remedy the problem last week and got to baking these incredibly tasty keto cranberry shortbread streusel bars. (Also a delicious keto cranberry coffee cake.)
This is the kind of easy keto bar recipe that I just love, since I’m not about spending hours fussing over impossibly pretty baked goods that will be devoured in minutes anyway.
The shortbread crust is similar to the one I use for my popular low carb Raspberry Linzer Cookie Bars, and is pressed into the pan with no rolling required. Meanwhile the cranberries are simmered on the stove until popped and thickened, then cooled slightly and spread over the partially baked crust.
A toasty layer of lightly cinnamon flavored streusel and chopped pecans adorns the top of these keto cranberry bars and pulls it all together into the most satisfying cookie bar I’ve eaten in AGES.
These fantastic keto cranberry shortbread bars go from start to finish in less than an hour, with very little hands on time required – so you can definitely get lots of other cooking, cleaning, or Netflix binge-watching done during the process!
In addition, these keto cranberry bars freeze really well – aaaand I personally recommend going the freezing route so that you don’t eat them all in less than 24 hours.
Not that I’d know from experience or anything. 🤨
Keto Cranberry Bars Recipe Notes:
I used Cointreau in my cranberry jelly, which is an orange flavored liqueur. You can substitute Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, or if you prefer to leave out the alcohol (it cooks off anyway, leaving just the flavor behind), you can sub 1/2 tsp orange extract or omit it altogether!
Xanthan gum is hard to get here in Belize, so I used arrowroot powder to thicken my cranberry jelly enough to set. You can use an equal amount of xanthan or guar gum to get the same results. If you omit it, this recipe will still work but the cranberry layer will be a little gooier – not necessarily a bad thing!
I just know you guys are going to enjoy these keto cranberry bars as much as we did, so please make them soon and report back to let us know how it went!
More Keto Cranberry Recipes
Keto Cranberry Orange Cheesecake
Keto Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Keto Salmon with Cranberry Orange Butter
Festive Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze
Print
Keto Cranberry Bars with Streusel Topping
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 16 bars 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
The perfect blend of sweet and tart, these keto cranberry bars will be your new favorite keto cookie! Low Carb & Gluten Free too
Ingredients
For the shortbread crust:
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 cups superfine almond flour
- 1/2 cup erythritol granulated sweetener
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
For the cranberry filling:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/2 cup erythritol granulated sweetener
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 tablespoon Cointreau orange liquor (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon arrowroot powder (or xanthan or guar gum)
For the streusel topping:
- 1/3 crust mix (from above)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
For the crust:
- Combine all of the crust ingredients in a medium sized bowl and mix well with a fork.
- Remove approximately 1/3 of the crust mix and set aside for the streusel topping.
- Press the remaining 2/3 of the crust mix into an 8×8 baking pan, preferably lined with parchment or foil for easier removal after baking.
- Bake in a 350 degree (F) preheated oven for 5 minutes.
- Remove and set aside.
For the cranberry filling:
- In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sweetener, water, Cointreau, and arrowroot powder and stir well.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
- Stir and pop all of the cranberries that remained whole after cooking.
- Remove from heat and cool for about five minutes, or until no longer steaming.
- Spread the cranberry filling evenly over the partially baked shortbread crust.
For the streusel topping:
- Add the cinnamon and chopped pecans to the 1/3 crust mix you set aside earlier.
- Work with your fingers until clusters are formed.
- Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the cranberry layer.
- Bake the bars at 350 degrees (F) for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool before slicing.
Notes
To see a list of my favorite keto products and brands that I recommend for sweeteners, flours, etc. you can check out the IBIH Pantry Ingredients Page!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: keto Cookie Recipe
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 x 2 bar
- Calories: 136
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 3g net
- Protein: 4g
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Kathleen Kelly says
These look really good and perfect for a diabetic diet! Thank you and Happy Holidays!
Tammy S says
Oh my goodness! These look like pure perfection! I am going to make this for Christmas.
Thanks for the recipe!
Amy says
I made these beautiful gems for Thanksgiving this year. It is Saturday, and there are no leftovers. For it just being the two of us, this is an amazing feat. I was asked by my other half this morning, while staring at the last two remaining bars, would I be making more today? Here I am, making more. Delicious! Thank you so much for your recipes, and all the tips and tricks you offer the low carb community! You are wonderful!
Tim says
I made mine earlier since it was my birthday and the kids love them! Thanks for sharing Mellissa. :)
Julie D. says
Made these last night, SO GOOD!!! That base could be used for so many yummy treats! Thanks for another great recipe!!
Terra says
Any recommended subs for erythritol? It really upsets my stomach.
Thank you
Mellissa Sevigny says
Any sweetener that measures cup for cup like sugar you can use in the same quantity as what I used for the erythritol. Xylitol maybe?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hope they are a bit hit!
Rita Allen says
I just made these last night. They will be made through the entire holiday season! I’m in love! I had been eyeballing these for months
One question: how many servings are in this recipe
I cut 9 squares
And I just ate 2 for breakfast! ?
I’m going to freeze the rest now
Tracy says
This looks awesome, I bet this would be even better with cream cheese as an additional layer. I am going to try this!
Gypsea says
Looks great! Just one question you say 1/3 crust mix for the topping? is that 1/3 cup?
Mellissa Sevigny says
No, it’s 1/3 of the total mix that you will make for the crust – it’s approximate so a few tablespoons either way won’t matter. Should be around a heaping 1/2 cup give or take.
Gypsea says
Perfect, Thank you!
Stephany says
Wow, those look good. Is this by any chance logged into MFP? I’d like to know the total carbs if possible.
Mellissa Sevigny says
I don’t put any of my recipes into MFP but some have added them, since this is a new one I don’t think it will be there yet but feel free to add it!