This Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe is my favorite thing to make during the holiday season. The cranberry filling is both sweet and tangy, loaded with flavor, giving the perfect balance of deliciousness to every bite.
Cranberry bars are a must this time of year. Thanksgiving and Christmas are quickly approaching, and our taste buds are telling us that they need all things cranberry right away. Good thing that these easy cranberry crumble bars take just a few minutes to prep and bake!
Before you head to the grocery store, make a list of all the ingredients that you need. That way, when you get back home, you can whip these up in your own kitchen without having to wait!
For more cranberry flavors, be sure to try my White Chocolate Cranberry Scones and my Cranberry Cream Cheese Bread Recipe.
Ingredients
- Butter - I use salted butter for the best results. If you have unsalted butter just add a pinch of salt.
- Light brown sugar - Adds sweetness and a warm flavor.
- White sugar - Adds sweetness.
- Eggs - A binder for the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract - For flavor.
- Flour - I use all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder - Make sure it is fresh so the bars rise.
- Rolled oats - A must for the crumble mixture.
- Salt - For flavor.
- Cranberries - You can use frozen cranberries or fresh cranberries.
- Orange zest - For a pop of citrus taste.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make this Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Add parchment paper to a 9X13-inch pan.
Step One: Add the cranberries, sugar, and two tablespoons of water to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until they pop. Stir in the orange zest and let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Step Two: Cream the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the vanilla and eggs.
Step Three: Add the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Step Four: Spread ⅔ of the mixture in the lined pan. Press it to the edges.
Step Five: Add the cooled cranberry sauce over the batter. Spread it to cover all the edges.
Step Six: Add small dollops of the rest of the batter. Leave some of the filling showing for the best presentation.
Step Seven: Put the pan in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Bake until it is golden brown.
Step Eight: Let it cool completely before serving. Cut into squares.
Top Tip
Swap in a can of whole-berry cranberry sauce to save time! You'll still get that great, delicious flavor with a fraction of the work.
Substitutions
- Lemon zest - If you don't want to use orange zest, you can use a bit of lemon juice or lemon zest.
Variations
- Powdered sugar - Dust the top with a little powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
- Almond extract - This can be used instead of vanilla.
- Pie crusts - Some people prefer to have shortbread crusts or pie crusts as the base for this recipe. I haven't tried it, but I'm sure it's possible. Just follow the directions on the package of whatever you use to determine bake time and steps.
See these Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars for another must-make treat.
Equipment
To make these cranberry crumb bars, you'll need a saucepan, parchment paper, a 9X13-inch baking pan, mixing bowls, a measuring cup, and a wooden spoon.
Storage
You'll likely have some crumble bars left over, so you get to enjoy them again. Store leftovers in an airtight container. They can be kept at room temperature or in the fridge. You can eat it chilled or warm it back up with a little bit of vanilla ice cream.
You can freeze these bars. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 months.
Common Questions
Absolutely. You're basically making your own cranberry sauce on the stovetop anyway, so if you already have this process down, use it. Just be sure to spread an even layer in the bars so that the base is covered from corner to corner. If you have leftover cranberry sauce after Thanksgiving, these are a great way to use it!
The top dollops should start to turn golden brown in color. This is your cue that the mixture is almost ready. Letting it rest for a short time after taking it out of the oven is also important, as it continues to cook a bit longer due to the heat.
You can. If you want this to be a bit tart, rather than sweet, you can change the amount of sugar that you add. Less sugar means that the tartness of the cranberries will pop even more.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
- Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars
- Brookie Bites
- Birthday Cake Blondies
- Chocolate Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon salt
Filling
- 12 oz cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
Filling
- Cook the cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until they pop. Stir in the orange zest. Let cool to room temperature.
Bars
- Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment.
- Cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl.
- Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients.
- Spread ⅔ of the batter in the prepared pan.
- Spread the cranberry sauce over the bottom crust. Spread it to the edges.
- Drop small dollops of the remaining batter on top of the cranberries.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until golden brown.
- Let cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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