Keto Cranberry Streusel Bars

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These easy keto cranberry bars are the ultimate festive treat. They are made with a low carb cranberry filling, a spiced almond flour crust and a crunchy streusel topping. This is a treat the whole family will enjoy.

It's cranberry time! I don't know why they only make an appearance in November and December. They taste so delicious we should be eating them all year round. Plus, they are packed with vitamin C and antioxidants.

I have just bought my first bag of cranberries of the season. I wanted to make sugar free dried cranberries or my first batch of sugar free cranberry sauce.

But instead, I decided on using them in a cake recipe.

Which is how these healthy cranberry bars came about!

They are fruity, buttery and nutty. And they are only 5.1g net carbs for a generous slice.

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Ingredients
Instructions
Top tip
FAQ
Variations
Related recipes
Recipe

Ingredients

Let's take a look at the ingredients I am using in this recipe:

For the filling:

Frozen cranberries - You can use fresh as well.
Allulose - This sweetener dissolves like sugar, that's why it's perfect in this recipe. Bocha Sweet would also work well. If you can't get hold of either, go for a powdered erythritol blend.
Vanilla extract and orange zest
Water
Chia seeds - I used whole chia seeds. If you want to go for powdered chia seeds, use 2 tablespoons.

Crust and streusel topping:

Almond flour - I used ground almonds, which is equivalent to regular almond flour in the US. If your almond flour is super fine, reduce the amount by ¼ cup.
Butter
Sweetener
Egg
Vanilla extract and cinnamon

Instructions

This section contains step-by-step instructions and photos that show how to make this recipe. See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities

Cranberry sauce and chia seeds in a saucepan with a spatula.

Step 1: Make the homemade cranberry sauce for the filling. Place all ingredients except for the chia seeds in a pan and bring to the boil.

Step 2: Reduce the heat to medium and cook until a thick jam forms and no liquid remains. Turn off the heat and add the chia seeds. Stir to combine and place the mix in the fridge to chill.

Dry ingredients in a bowl with a spatula.

Step 3: For the topping and crust, mix all dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl.

Dough for the crust and streusel in a bowl.

Step 4: Add the butter, egg and vanilla and mix with a spatula to combine. Use your hands if necessary. Remove ⅓ of the mix and set aside for the topping.

Step 5: Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Press the rest of the mixture into the pan. This is your crust.

Step 6: Bake the crust in the oven, then allow to cool.

Step 7: Crumble the topping dough into chunks and place on a clean sheet of baking paper. Bake until golden.

chia cranberry filling in the baking pan

Step 8: Top the base with cranberry mix.

cranberry streusel cake in a square baking pan

Step 9: Add the crumb topping and press it down into the cranberry jam. Chill in the fridge before slicing.

Top tip

Before you assemble the bars, double-check that the base, crumble topping and the keto cranberry filling are all cooled.

FAQ

How long do I need to chill the bars?

I let mine chill in the fridge overnight, but 2 hours in the fridge should be sufficient. If you want to speed things up, 30 minutes in the freezer would also ensure the bars are 100% firm.

Can I make this recipe with coconut flour?

For a nut free crust, use ½ cup coconut flour, ½ cup sesame flour and ½ cup sunflower seed flour. I have not tried this myself yet, but I'm certain it will work.

How do I store these bars?

Store the bars in the fridge for up to 5 days of freeze for up to 3 months.

Variations

Add sugar free icing drizzle: ¼ cup powdered sweetener mixed with 1 tablespoon of water or lemon juice.

Make keto cranberry cheesecake bars: Add a cream cheese layer between the crust and cranberry filling: 1 cup cream cheese, ¼ cup allulose or powdered sweetener, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract.