WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

Published · Last updated · By Martha McKinnon · 13 Comments

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Weight Watchers Recipe of the Day: Low Fat Cranberry Bars

The inspiration for these low fat cranberry bars comes from my friend, Alisa. Homemade cranberry bars are one of the highlights of her Mary Kay Holiday Open House. Instead of using her recipe, which made a large batch, I decided to try to make a version that would be smaller, lower in fat and calories but every bit as delicious.

WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (1)

WW Friendly Low-Fat Cranberry Bars

Skinny on Low Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe

Baking from scratch doesn't get much simpler than this low-fat cranberry bars recipe. All you need are a few basic ingredients and a bowl. I used a whisk and lots of elbow grease to mix them, but you could always use an electric mixer (affiliate link) if you prefer.

Moist, delicious, and not too sweet, they're a nice change from fancier cookies and bars that require a lot more work.

WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2)

Fresh Whole Cranberries

I think they're even better a day or two after baking, so they're a great choice for making ahead and sharing with friends. They're so yummy I've stashed a couple bags of cranberries in the freezer so I can make them again later this winter. I was able to shave a few calories and a point by cutting back a bit on the sugar, butter and walnuts.

WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (3)

Plate of low fat cranberry bars

How Many Calories/WW Points in these Low Calorie Cranberry Bars?

According to my calculations each bar has 122 calories and:

5 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
3 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!

You could cut the calories and SmartPoints further by substituting your favorite non-calorie or low-calorie sweetener such as Splenda or Truvia (affiliate link). And try unsweetened applesauce instead of the butter.

If you like these easy cranberry nut bars, be sure to check out some of my other Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Slow Cooker Cranberry Apple Cake, Crock Pot Cranberry Nut Bread, Cranberry White Chocolate Crock Pot Cookie Bars, Low-Fat Cranberry Walnut Rugalach and Low-Fat Mini Cranberry Nut Bread Loaves

Kitchen Tools I Used to Make this Recipe:

Are You Ready To Firmly Plant YourselfOn The Path To Lasting Weight Loss Success?

If you've made these Cranberry Walnut Bars, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (4)

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4.30 from 17 votes

Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe

Simple and delicious, these low-fat cranberry bars are a new Holiday favorite!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings (adjustable): 16

Calories: 122

Author: Martha McKinnon | Simple Nourished Living

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1-¼ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • ¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray and set it aside.

  • In medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs until thick, about 5 minutes.

  • Add the sugar and beat until creamy and well blended.

  • Stir in the flour and butter and vanilla just until blended.

  • Stir in the cranberries and walnuts.

  • Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly.

  • Bake until set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Cut into 16 bars.

Recipe Notes

Serving size: 1 cranberry bar

Click here to see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site.

5 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
3 *PointsPlus (Old plan)

Nutrition Facts

Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 cranberry bar)

Calories 122Calories from Fat 63

% Daily Value*

Fat 7g11%

Carbohydrates 19g6%

Fiber 1g4%

Protein 2g4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cranberry dessert bars, cranberry squares, holiday cranberry bars

Did you make this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving on Instagram and tag #simplenourishedliving - we love to see your creations!

Source: Ocean Spray

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

Watch how to make your own no-bake cranberry oat bars at home:

Related WW Recipes:

WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (5)Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!

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WW Low-Fat Cranberry Bars Recipe | Simple Nourished Living (2024)

FAQs

Can you dry cranberries from frozen? ›

Freezing the berries helps in breaking down the cell structure promoting faster drying. Put the berries on a mesh sheet in the dehydrator and dry for 10 to 16 hours, depending on the make of the dehydrator, until chewy and with no pockets of moisture.

How to make dried cranberries in an air fryer? ›

For The Air Fryer Oven:
  1. Preheat air fryer to 170 degrees.
  2. Spread Cranberries on the racks into 1 layer with some space for air flow (you may need to do this in batches, I was able to use all 3 of my racks to fit the whole batch).
  3. Dry cranberries for 6-8 hours shaking and rotating the racks every 2 hours.
Jan 11, 2020

Can you use craisins instead of cranberries? ›

Yes, Craisins® Sweetened Dried Cranberries work well in baked goods; however, there is a 1/4 cup (60 mL) difference in measurement. If a recipe calls for one cup of fresh cranberries you should use 3/4 cup (175 mL) of Craisins®.

Are craisins dried cranberries? ›

Ocean Spray Craisins Dried Cranberries, Reduced Sugar, 20 Ounce Value Pack (2 Count of 20 Ounce)

Are dried cranberries the same as dehydrated? ›

“A dehydrated fruit is a dried fruit but a dried fruit is not necessarily a dehydrated fruit. Everything depends on the quality of the drying process used.”

Can you dry cranberries without a dehydrator? ›

Preheat oven to 170 degrees or the lowest setting. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper. Spread cranberries in a single layer on baking sheet. Bake rotating pans and stirring cranberries every hour or so to break up any clumps until dry and chewy.

Should dried cranberries be soaked before baking? ›

Rehydrate the fruits: Dried fruits can be quite hard and dry, so it's often a good idea to rehydrate them before adding them to your baked goods. To do this, simply soak the dried fruits in warm water or fruit juice for 15-20 minutes until they are plump and tender.

Do frozen cranberries get mushy when thawed? ›

If cranberries are frozen then removed from the freezer then thawed, they will have a soft texture and are usable for cooking and baking. Adding frozen cranberries to recipes is often recommended.

Can you use frozen cranberries instead of dried cranberries? ›

To use fresh or frozen cranberries in place of dried, use 1 cup of fresh/frozen cranberries for every 1/2 cup of dried cranberries called for in the recipe.

How to dry cranberries in the microwave? ›

Here's how I did it:
  1. Cut the fruit into thin slices. ...
  2. Wash and dry the rotating plate of the microwave, as you'll be placing your fruit directly onto it. ...
  3. Put the fruit slices onto the microwave plate, giving them some breathing room (at least an inch or two).
  4. Set the timer for 30 minutes!
  5. But not so fast!
Nov 4, 2015

How to dehydrate cranberries to make craisins? ›

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 170˚F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cut the cranberries in half, add to a mixing bowl, and toss with the maple syrup. ...
  3. Place the baking sheet in the oven and dry for 2-4 hours or longer depending on the oven.
  4. Remove from the oven and let completely cool.
Nov 18, 2020

Can you use an Airfryer to dry fruit? ›

If you own an air fryer, then dehydrating fruit is really simple. In fact, many of the fancier air fryers even have a dehydrating mode. To use this mode, simply pop your fruit into the basket, set the air-fryer to the 'dehydrate' mode, and it will begin removing the moisture from your fruit, easy!

Can you make dried cranberries in the oven? ›

How to Dehydrate Cranberries in the Oven. To dehydrate cranberries in the oven, turn it on for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Check your oven temperature before proceeding, to assure maximum drying of the fruit. Spread cranberries on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet and place in the oven.

Should dried cranberries be soaked? ›

Don't Skip This Step if You're Cooking or Baking With Dried Cranberries | Livestrong.com. To rehydrate dried cranberries for baking recipes, simply soak them in hot water, juice or other liquid. You don't need to soak dried cranberries overnight.

How do you prepare cranberries for dehydration? ›

To begin, set your dehydrator to roughly 135°F (57°C) and leave it to work for 8-12 hours, but drying times can vary. Cranberries do not need to be blanched before dehydrating; simply load them onto the trays. If you want a sweeter flavor, soak the cranberries in a sugar or honey solution before drying.

Do dehydrated cranberries go bad? ›

In a sealed container, dried cranberries can be stored up to one (1) year at room temperature. They must be kept in a cool, dark place. Dried cranberries may also be kept in the freezer for a period up to 1 year.

Should dried cranberries be washed before eating? ›

Dried fruit. This kind of food is considered to be one of the dirtiest. This is especially true for fruit that is sold by weight. Even if you bought dried fruit in a nice package, you have to wash it first or even soak it for a few hours.

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