Cranberry Crumble Bars
Make delicious cranberry crumble bars with a buttery crust and sweet-tart filling. Easy recipe with fresh cranberries and orange zest - perfect for holiday baking!
Equipment
- oven
- 9x13 inch baking pan
- parchment paper
- large mixing bowl
- whisk
- pastry blender
- food processor
- medium bowl
- wire rack
- cutting board
- sharp knife
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Crust and Topping
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Filling
- 3 cups cranberries fresh or frozen
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9x13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer sides to easily lift the bars out later. Lightly grease the parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add the cold, cut-up unsalted butter and the 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Use a pastry blender, your fingertips, or a food processor to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Press about two-thirds of the crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared 9x13 inch baking pan. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, or until it is lightly golden brown around the edges.
- While the crust is baking, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, combine the 3 cups of cranberries (no need to thaw if frozen), 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, 1 tablespoon of orange zest, 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice, and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Stir well until all the cranberries are evenly coated.
- Carefully remove the partially baked crust from the oven. Spread the cranberry filling evenly over the warm crust, gently distributing the fruit across the entire surface.
- Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the crumble mixture evenly over the cranberry filling. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crumble topping is golden brown and the cranberry filling is bubbly around the edges.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. This is a crucial step for the bars to set properly and be easy to cut. Allow the bars to cool for at least 2 hours, or until they reach room temperature and the filling is firm to the touch.
- Once completely cooled, use the parchment paper overhang to carefully lift the entire slab of bars out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut into 18 to 24 bars using a sharp knife.
Notes
Allow bars to cool completely for proper setting and easy cutting.