Preparation

• Prep pan:
  Coat the bottom and sides of an 8-by-8-inch cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom and two sides with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang; spray parchment.
  
  Make crust:
  In a food processor, pulse the toasted pecans until finely chopped. Add sugar, flour, and salt and pulse to thoroughly combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles the texture of crumbly wet sand but holds together when squeezed between your fingers.
  
  Form crust in pan and chill:
  Firmly pack 2 1/2 cups of the mixture evenly on the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of the prepared pan. Chill crust until firm, about 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. Refrigerate remaining mixture until ready to use.
  
  Preheat oven and bake crust:
  Preheat oven to 350˚F. Prick bottom of the chilled crust at 1-inch intervals with a fork. Bake until set and darkened slightly, 22 to 23 minutes.
  
  Make filling:
  While the crust bakes, combine all filling ingredients in a saucepan with 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens to a sticky, jam-like consistency, 7 to 9 minutes.
  
  Spread filling over crust; add remaining crust on top:
  Pour hot fruit mixture over warm crust and spread evenly to edges with an offset spatula. Squeeze remaining pecan crust mixture between your fingers to form clumps and sprinkle evenly over fruit mixture.
  
  Bake, cool, and cut into bars:
  Bake until fragrant and crumble topping turns golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan set on a wire rack. Run a knife between the crust and pan along the two sides without parchment. Use parchment overhangs to transfer to a cutting board and cut into bars to serve.
  
  Storing Cran-Apple Bars
  The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.