These gluten-free coconut cranberry stars have a delicious shortbread base and a chewy topping of butter, sugar, shredded coconut, walnuts and cranberries. Tart dried cranberries and a sweet coconut filling all on top of a shortbread crust. Easy to make, delicious and perfect for the holidays.
Cranberries, coconut and walnuts are a winning flavour combination and these gluten-free coconut cranberry bars combine them wonderfully. You will love the no-bake filling that once added to the baked shortbread crust, bakes together into a delicious and chewy gluten-free square.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED:
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend
- Brown Sugar
- Butter
- Corn Syrup
- Eggs
- Walnuts
- Dried Cranberries
- Shredded Unsweetened Coconut
A little gluten-free flour, brown sugar and cold butter make up the shortbread crust in these bars. Beat the melted butter, brown sugar, corn syrup and eggs until thick and foamy. Stir in the dried cranberries, shredded coconut and walnuts and pour over base. Bake for 25 minutes and you have a perfect gluten-free square for the holidays.
Cranberry coconut bars with a buttery shortbread base and a coconut cranberry walnut topping. This old fashioned recipe is simple to make and perfect for the holidays. I like to add a couple of these gluten-free squares to the cookie tins I make for food gifts that I give to family and friends for Christmas.
Looking for more holiday recipes try: sugar cookie bars, no-bake sunflower butter bars, butter tart bars, pretzel nut squares, cream puffs and coconut squares. All are delicious, gluten-free and easy to make.
The gluten-free squares are very similar to lemon bars-in that you make a shortbread crust, a filing and they are all baked together. Start with the crust. It is a simple blend of cold butter, brown sugar and gluten-free flour blend. The crust is pressed into the bottom of a parchment lined square baking pan then baked until golden.
HOW TO MAKE THE BARS:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line both sides of a square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl add the flour and sugar and mix.
- Add the cold cubed butter and cut it in until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add to the bottom of the square pan and lightly press down.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl add the melted butter, sugar, corn syrup and eggs and beat with a hand mixer until thick and foamy.
- Stir in the chopped walnuts, dried cranberries and shredded coconut.
- Pour mixture over the cooked base and bake again for 25 minutes.
- Remove and cool before slicing.
Rich and chewy gluten-free coconut cranberry bars are a nostalgic recipe from the past. It is a festive addition to the holidays sweets tray. The shortbread base is rich and buttery and the topping is delightfully chewy from the coconut. The walnuts add crunch and the dried cranberries add a bit of tartness.
These bars are pure nostalgia for me and bring back memories of baking with my Grandma. It seems like such a long time again and I miss her terribly. They are chewy, nutty and sweet-full of flavour with the shortbread base. Gluten-free coconut cranberry bars do not last long in my house. They seem to disappear fast leading me to bake another one before Christmas.
Gluten-free coconut cranberry bars are baked in a 8×8 square baking pan. It is a two part dessert. First you make and bake the bottom crust. While crust is baking you mix up the topping. Top the crust with the topping and bake again. The end result is chewy and sweet gluten-free squares perfect for the holiday season.
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Gluten-Free Coconut Cranberry Bars
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cup gluten free flour blend
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cold butter, cut up into cubes
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup corn syrup
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup raw chopped walnuts
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a square baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl add the flour and sugar and mix.
- Add the cubed butter and cut it in until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add to bottom of baking pan and lightly press down.
- Bake for 10 minutes.
- In a small bowl beat the melted butter, sugar, corn syrup and eggs with a hand mixer until thick and foamy.
- Stir in the walnuts, cranberries and coconut.
- Pour mixture over base and bake for another 25-30 minutes.
- Remove and cool.