Description
Buttery shortbread crust, jammy cranberry filling, and a crumbly almond topping. One dough makes both crust and crumble. No pre-baking or pre-cooking needed. Bright orange notes make these cranberry bars perfect for Christmas dessert trays.
Ingredients
Crust & Crumble
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup (226g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 large egg
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Optional 1/3 cup (30g) sliced almonds, for topping
Cranberry Filling
4 cups (400g) fresh or frozen cranberries (do not thaw)
3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp orange zest
1 Tbsp (15g) fresh orange juice
Orange Icing (optional)
2 Tbsp (30 ml) fresh orange juice
1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang for lifting.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized crumbles form.
4. Whisk egg, milk, and vanilla. Pour into dry mix and stir until sandy crumbs form.
5. Reserve 2 cups of crumble. Press the remaining mixture firmly into the pan for the crust.
6. Stir cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and orange juice. Spread evenly over the crust.
7. Sprinkle the reserved crumble over the cranberry layer. Add sliced almonds if using.
8. Bake 40 to 50 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick in the center comes out mostly clean.
9. Cool completely on a rack in the pan. Refrigerate to speed cooling if desired.
10. Whisk icing ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cooled bars, slice into squares, and serve.
Notes
Success Tips
No pre-baking needed, the crust and crumble bake together.
Use parchment with overhang for an easy lift and clean cuts.
Keep butter cold for a flaky, crumbly texture.
Use a food processor or pastry cutter for fast butter cutting.
Storage
Room temperature up to 2 days.
Refrigerator up to 1 week.
Freezer up to 3 months. Layer bars with parchment and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Serving
Bars taste great chilled or at room temperature. The orange icing adds extra sweetness and shine.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Christmas Dessert Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 240
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg