Bourbon cranberry bars are the treat you never knew you needed. A bourbon cranberry/cherry compote bakes on top of a dense and chewy white chocolate chip bar for the most spectacular combination you’re going to love.
This bourbon cranberry bar recipe may seem more reminiscent of Thanksgiving, but the rich flavors of bourbon and cranberries is good for any time of the year.
I tested these bars awhile back, right around Thanksgiving to be exact! I took them for my family’s Thanksgiving dessert, and they were quite a hit. I wanted to perfect the recipe, but had so many other healthy treats I wanted to share with you all in between then and now.
So when I volunteered to make dessert for Easter last weekend, I wanted to bring along these sweet yet tart cranberry bars. The addition of white chocolate chips to the batter makes these bars oh so addictive.
Cranberry Cherry Compote
This recipe first begins with the most amazing cranberry cherry compote. I’ve made this multiple times in place of the traditional cranberry sauce found in your Thanksgiving lineup.
It’s sweetness comes from frozen dark cherries {my favorite for smoothies as well}, plus pure maple syrup, fresh orange juice and a bit of molasses.
If you haven’t used molasses for baking, you’re seriously missing out. It provides a rich dark malty flavor that’s to-die-for.
The tart comes from bourbon {which I hate to drink, but love to bake with!} and frozen cranberries. When all of these ingredients combine, the mixture is one you will be inclined to just eat with a spoon.
White chocolate ginger bars
But because it’s not Thanksgiving, most aren’t inclined to serve cranberry sauce. {Why is it only a Thanksgiving thing?? I need answers!}.
So instead we’re using this delightful sauce to top extra decadent {but healthy} white chocolate ginger bars.
So, I will tell you right now, this ingredients list is long. But every ingredient is essential in creating a dense, chewy and sweet bar to go with your amazing cranberry sauce.
The secret ingredient in these bars is almond flour. When sifted together with the whole wheat flour you’re able to create a texture that most people won’t be able to figure out.
Do make sure to sift your flour though. It only takes an extra 30 seconds. Notice all of the fibrous pieces I was able to get out by sifting?
Bourbon cranberry bars
Once you’ve spread the white chocolate ginger batter into a greased 9″x13″, all that’s left is to top with the cranberry sauce {hopefully you haven’t eaten it all by now!}.
Bake until the bars have puffed up and the cranberry sauce has darkened. It’s best to let the bars sit and cool slightly before cutting.
Watch these bars fly off the dessert plate. Once you take a first bite, you just can’t stop!
Bourbon cherry bars are the perfect healthy homemade bar to serve at any occasion. This sweet and tart white chocolate chip bar is absolutely scrumptious!
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tsp. vanilla
- 2 tsp. maple extract
- 2 Tbsp. mild molasses
- 1 cup plain whole milk Greek yogurt
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cup white whole wheat flour
- 1 ½ cup almond flour
- 1 tsp. xanthan gum
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 2 tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ cup salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 20 oz frozen cranberries thawed (not drained)
- 12 oz frozen dark sweet cherries thawed (not drained)
- 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 Tbsp. cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup bourbon
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp. mild molasses
- 1 tsp. maple extract
- ½ tsp. ground ginger
- ¼ tsp. salt
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Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9”x13” pan.
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In a large saucepan, add all of the cranberry/cherry compote ingredients and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally until sauce starts to thicken, about 10 additional minutes.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the maple syrup, dark brown sugar, vanilla, maple extract, molasses and Greek yogurt until smooth.
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Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until combined.
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In a separate bowl, sift together the flours, discarding any large chunks from the almond flour.
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Whisk in the xanthan gum, baking powder and soda, ginger and salt.
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Mix the dry ingredients into the wet, half at a time, stirring after each addition. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
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Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and top with the compote. Spread in an even layer over the bars.
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Bake for 30-32 minutes, until bars are set, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before slicing.
