Description
Delicious and tangy cranberry bars with a buttery crumb crust and a sweet-tart cranberry filling, finished with a crumbly topping. Perfect as a festive dessert or a seasonal snack.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust and Topping
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
Cranberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- Zest of 1 orange (optional, for extra flavor)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal of the bars.
- Make Crust Dough: In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold, cubed butter and blend with a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the beaten egg to form a crumbly dough.
- Form Crust: Press half of the crumbly dough firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan to create an even crust layer. Reserve the remaining dough for the topping.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook while stirring frequently until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in orange zest if using, then allow the filling to cool slightly.
- Assemble Bars: Spread the cooled cranberry filling evenly over the crust in the pan. Then crumble the reserved dough evenly over the cranberry layer to form the topping.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift them out easily, then slice into 12 bars.
Notes
- For a citrusy twist, add the zest of one orange to the cranberry filling.
- Make sure the butter is cold to get a crumbly texture in the crust and topping.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Frozen cranberries can be used directly without thawing.
- If you like a sweeter filling, increase sugar to 1 cup.
