Frozen Cranberry Bars – Spend With Pennies

product4kid January 14, 2022

0 2 3 minutes read

piece of Frozen Cranberry Bars on a plate with a bite taken out

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These frozen Cranberry Bars will be everyone’s new favorite dessert for the holidays and beyond!

Sweet and tart and deliciously creamy, these cranberry bars have fresh cranberries and cream cheese in a rich filling. They’re spread over a buttery graham cracker crust and frozen before serving.

They’re easy to make, bright, and tangy. Best of all this recipe needs to freeze so it can be made weeks ahead of time!

piece of Frozen Cranberry Bars on a plate with a bite taken out

Frozen Cranberry Bars

If you like ice cream, you’ll LOVE these cranberry bars.
Use fresh or frozen cranberries for a great tangy flavor.
6 ingredients and only 4 steps? Yes, please!
Frozen cranberry bars are the perfect make-ahead recipe, too! Just keep them in the freezer until ready to serve!

adding ingredients to food processor to make Frozen Cranberry Bars

Ingredients and Variations

The basic ingredients here are necessary for the best results, but there is a little space for switches, add-ins, and toppings!

CRUST A graham cracker crust is a base for so many desserts. Save time and buy a premade one and simply press it into the pan. For a thicker and more flavorful crust, add ground oatmeal or granola. Or make a crust from crushed shortbread cookies and butter.

CRANBERRY MIXTURE Just 4 ingredients are all it takes for a melt-in-your-mouth filling that’s both sweet and tart! If you can find cranberry Jell-o, it is perfect for this recipe but we find it difficult to get our hands on (or super expensive) so we use raspberry Jello. Swap it out with cherry or strawberry if that’s what you can find.

Sweetened condensed milk doesn’t freeze solid so it adds the perfect texture to this recipe (just like our no churn ice cream) & cream cheese add richness.

CRANBERRIES Not cranberry season? Be sure to check the freezer section of the grocery, they’ll often have cranberries there. When you do find them in season (and on sale!) stock up because they freeze beautifully for cranberry sauce or cranberry bread.

PRO TIP: Save a few extra cranberries to make this decadent and beautiful sugared cranberries garnish!

pan of cranberry bars

How to Make Cranberry Bars

These sweet and tart treats are so quick and easy to make:

Prepare crust & set aside.
Blend cream cheese & sweetened condensed milk in a food processor. Add cranberries & raspberry Jello.
Pour cranberry mixture over graham cracker crust & freeze until set.

PRO TIP: For easy removal, place the pan in warm water to make the bars easier to cut.

cutting frozen cranberry bars

Storing Frozen Cranberry Bars

Store leftover frozen cranberry bars in the freezer covered in plastic wrap and then a zippered bag for up to 3 months. Enjoy them straight out of the freezer for a cold and delicious treat! These no-bake Cranberry Bars taste just as good frozen as they do fresh!

Got Cranberries?

Did you make these Frozen Cranberry Bars? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

Frozen Cranberry Bars

Sweet, tart, & creamy, these frozen Cranberry Bars are the perfect no-bake dessert!

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Cranberry Mixture

Place cream cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk and pulse until combined.
Pour mixture into a large bowl and set aside. Add cranberries to the food processor and pulse until they form small pieces.
Combine cranberries with cream cheese mixture & jello in the bowl and mix until fully incorporated.
Pour into the prepared pan and freeze until firm (about 1-2 hours).
Once frozen remove from the freezer and cut into 16 squares.

For easy removal, line the pan with parchment paper if desired. To remove from the pan easily dip 1 inch of the bottom of the pan in warm water so it loosens from the pan.
Use cranberry jello if you can find it. If not we like raspberry but any red colored jello will work.
These bars are best served frozen. Remove the pan from the freezer about 10 minutes before serving.
Store Cranberry Bars in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Calories: 211, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 32mg, Sodium: 171mg, Potassium: 143mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 358IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 92mg, Iron: 1mg

(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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