Save a Spoonful of Cranberry Sauce for the Lemon Bars

When there’s just a little cranberry sauce left in the bowl, save it for the dessert tray. A small spoonful of thick cranberry sauce gives a plain lemon bar a tart bite and a bright red finish. Add it to the chilled bars after slicing, so each square gets its own topping.

Look for a sauce that holds its shape

Whole-berry sauce leaves a few berries on each square. If you have jellied sauce, mash a small portion with a fork until you can spoon it. A thin sauce can run down the cut sides, so keep it for drizzling over individual servings. Taste first: a lemon bar already brings plenty of acidity, and a modest dollop leaves room for the buttery crust to come through.

Cut the bars first and add the berries last

Use your usual lemon bar recipe, cool and chill the slab as directed, then cut it with a clean knife. Top the pieces just before serving. If you also want powdered sugar, dust the bare bars first and add the cranberry sauce afterward so the red topping stays visible. For a cookie tray, pair a few of the squares with our lemon snowball cookies.