Description
These Fresh Cranberry Bars with Oat Crumble Topping are a delightful combination of tart cranberries and a buttery oat crumble. Perfectly baked to create a crisp crust and a soft, tangy filling, these bars are an ideal treat for fall or holiday seasons. They balance sweetness with fresh citrus notes and a hint of cinnamon, making them irresistibly delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Crumble Topping
- 1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. flaxseed, ground
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
Fresh Cranberry Filling
- 1 12 oz. bag Fresh Cranberries
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Water (as needed, about 1-2 Tbsp.)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the crumble and bars.
- Prepare Crumble Topping: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, coconut sugar, melted butter, chopped walnuts, ground flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir everything until it forms a crumble texture with the melted butter binding the dry ingredients.
- Bake Base Layer: Press half of the crumble mixture firmly into the bottom of an 8×8 inch oven-safe baking dish. Bake this crust layer for 15 minutes until it begins to set and lightly brown.
- Cook Cranberry Filling: While the crust bakes, place the fresh cranberries, lemon juice, lemon zest, and granulated sugar into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries start to pop and soften, creating a sauce-like consistency. Add water a tablespoon at a time if the mixture is too thick or sticking, cooking until the filling resembles a thick cranberry sauce.
- Assemble Bars: Remove the crust from the oven and carefully pour the cooked cranberry sauce evenly over it. Then, sprinkle the remaining half of the crumble topping evenly on top of the cranberry layer.
- Final Bake: Return the assembled bars to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes, allowing the topping to brown and the filling to set properly.
- Cool and Serve: Once baked, remove from the oven and let the bars cool and rest in the pan for at least 30 minutes before cutting into 9 squares. This resting time helps the bars firm up for easier slicing and better texture.
Notes
- Use rolled oats, not quick oats, for the best texture in the crumble topping.
- If fresh cranberries are unavailable, frozen cranberries can be used; thaw them before cooking.
- Letting the bars cool completely improves cutting and presentation.
- Chopped walnuts can be substituted with pecans or omitted for nut-free version.
- Adjust sugar amount according to tartness preference of cranberries.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (1/9 of the recipe)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 16 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
