Holiday Cranberry-Orange Pistachio Bars

From EatingWell: December 2006 — Subscribe Now!

Bright red cranberries and toasted green pistachios stud these tart-and-tangy bar cookies and make them a colorful addition to any cookie platter. They hold well in both the refrigerator and the freezer so they're an excellent make-ahead option.

Holiday Cranberry-Orange Pistachio Bars Recipe

16 bars

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/4 hours (not including cooling time)

Nutrition Profile

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Ingredients

Crust

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2/3 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, (see Note)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt

Topping

3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
2 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen, thawed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)
1/3 cup pistachios, preferably unsalted, chopped and toasted (see Tip)

Preparation

To prepare crust: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
Beat butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and brown sugar in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Stir in whole-wheat flour, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour and salt until well combined (the mixture will still be crumbly). Evenly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake until just barely golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
To prepare topping: Combine 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add egg, egg white, orange zest and juice; stir until blended and smooth.
Sprinkle cranberries over the baked crust. Pour the orange mixture over the cranberries and sprinkle with pistachios.
Bake until golden and set, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack; if possible, chill before cutting into squares.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month

Note: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains.
Tips: To make quick work of chopping cranberries, place whole berries in a food processor and pulse a few times until the berries are coarsely chopped.
To toast chopped pistachios, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes. .

Nutrition

Per serving: 126 calories; 4 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 19 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 2 g protein; 1 g fiber; 44 mg sodium; 58 mg potassium.

1/2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 other carbohydrate, 1/2 fat