Cranberry Orange Gooey Butter Bars

With a rich, buttery crust and a gooey, melt-in-your-mouth filling, Hayden Jordan’s Cranberry Orange Gooey Butter Bars are not only a southern staple, but the perfect dessert for the holiday season. 

Hayden couldn’t think of a more fitting way to serve these dainty yet decadent bars than with the quintessential seasonal combination of cranberries and orange zest. And we couldn’t agree more! 

To make Betty’s classic Cranberry Gooey Butter Bars bars even more delicious, Hayden adds pure vanilla extract and extra orange zest, right into the batter. The tartness of the cranberries pairs perfectly with the buttery filling, while the vanilla and fresh orange amplify all the sweet flavors.

And because nothing would be complete without a dollop of Hayden’s freshly whipped cream, she adds this final wow factor before serving. Her seasonal and southern-inspired dessert is a guaranteed crowd pleaser that will quickly become part of your annual repertoire.  

Are you ready to give this recipe a try? Let us know how it goes in the comments or ask us a question below! And if you’re on the lookout for even more holiday inspiration, check out what our other Makers are baking up this month.

Hayden’s Tip

• Make sure you use room-temperature cream cheese or the batter will curdle. For a shortcut, soften the cream cheese by cutting it into small cubes or pop it in the microwave for 15 seconds.

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