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Cranberry Crumble Bars: Easy & Delicious Dessert Recipe

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These Cranberry Crumble Bars are a delightful balance of sweet and tart, featuring a rich, buttery crust topped with a luscious cranberry filling. Perfect for holiday gatherings or afternoon tea, they are sure to impress!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 cup Cold Unsalted Butter, cut into small cubes
  • 1 cup Rolled Oats (Old-Fashioned)
  • 2 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch (or Arrowroot Powder)
  • 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
  • 1.5 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (optional)
  • Pinch of Salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, rolled oats, and a pinch of salt. Add the very cold, cubed unsalted butter. Using a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  3. Press about two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly and firmly into the bottom of your prepared baking pan. Place the pan in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes while you prepare the filling.
  4. In a medium saucepan, combine the fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and ground cinnamon (if using). Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and the cranberries begin to burst and soften, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
  5. Retrieve your chilled pan with the crust from the freezer. Pour the warm cranberry filling evenly over the pressed crumb base. Crumble the remaining one-third of the crumb mixture evenly over the cranberry filling.
  6. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the topping is beautifully golden brown and the filling is bubbly and set.
  7. Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely for at least 2-3 hours. Trying to cut them warm will result in a messy, crumbling disaster.
  8. Once fully cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan. Place it on a cutting board and slice into your desired squares or rectangles.

Nutrition

Keywords: Handle the crumb mixture as little as possible to avoid tough crumbs. Chill your butter and crumb base for a flakier texture. Adjust sugar in the filling based on the tartness of your cranberries.

Find it online: https://mamablueberry.com/cranberry-crumble-bars-easy-delicious-dessert-recipe/