Cranberry Pistachio Bars with Apricot Glaze | The Chopping Block

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Cranberry-Pistachio Bars with Apricot Glaze

This holiday favorite needs a place on your Christmas cookie table!

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Yield: 24 to 30 bars

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Active Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish: 1 hour, 15 minutes

For this recipe you’ll need:

For the filling:

One 12-ounce package fresh cranberries
1 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the crust and top:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

For the apricot glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons apricot juice

Preheat the oven to 350º.
For the filling, combine the fresh cranberries, dried cranberries and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the fresh berries pop, about 10 minutes. Stir in the vanilla extract, and set aside to cool a bit.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, oats, chopped pistachios, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in the butter until well blended.
Pat half of the oat mixture into the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. A quarter sheet tray works great, too!
Bake the crust for 10 minutes, and allow to cool. /p>
Carefully spread the filling over the baked crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top and gently pat. Bake for 30 to 35 additional minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.
For the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla and enough of the apricot juice to make a drizzly consistency.
Cut into 2-inch bars, drizzle with the glaze and serve.