These Cranberry Crumble Bars have a brown sugar oat crust that does a double act as the base and crumb topping, with a jammy cranberry filling. It’s a sweet, tart and gorgeous treat that is easy to make ahead. Gluten free, too.
Use leftover cranberry orange sauce for the filling and save yourself a step in the kitchen.
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox.
This post is sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. As always, thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that help Fit Mitten Kitchen bring you new recipes!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy, and made with a handful of baking ingredients.
- The perfect balance of sweet and tart – you won’t be able to have just one!
- Wonderful make ahead as it stores well in the fridge.
- Celebrates fall and winter, but can be made any time of year with frozen cranberries.
Ingredients You Will Need
The ingredient list for these cranberry crumb bars are broken down into three parts – oat crumble, filling and glaze. Here’s a look at what we need for each one:
Oat Crumble Mixture
- old fashioned rolled oats – stick to rolled oats for the best texture (more on this below!) and make sure to buy gluten-free if that is a dietary concern.
- gluten free flour – I love the light texture of 1-to-1 gluten free baking flour, but you can also use an equal amount of white whole wheat flour.
- brown sugar – for sweetness and a deep molasses flavor. Use light or dark brown sugar, whichever you have on hand.
- sea salt – to bring out all that yummy sweetness.
- ground cinnamon + ginger – for warmth and a kick of spice.
- butter – use cubed unsalted butter, straight from the fridge is fine.
- almond slices – totally optional, but adds an extra layer of crunch!
Filling
- fresh cranberries – one 10-oz bag of cranberries is all you need to make the jammy cranberry center. Frozen cranberries are a good sub, you may just need to add a few minutes to the simmering time.
- maple syrup – for dark, robust sweetness.
- orange zest + juice – use the zest of two oranges and the juice of one. Save the other orange for the glaze.
- almond extract – I think almond extract compliments the tart cranberries. Swap it out for vanilla extract if you prefer.
- tapioca flour – to tighten and hold the cranberry jam together. Arrowroot starch is a great sub.
Orange Glaze
- powdered sugar – makes a great base for that final glaze. Use more or less depending on your desired consistency.
- orange juice – adds a special tang. Water, your favorite dairy-free milk or regular milk can all be used instead.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Use Rolled Oats for the Best Texture
Rolled Oats vs Quick Oats: Rolled Oats are steamed for a shorter period of time and then simply flattened to make large, thick flakes. Quick oats require a longer steaming time and are then rolled and cut into smaller, irregular flakes.
For optimal texture and chew, it’s best to use rolled oats. I love Bob’s Red Mill GF Old Fashioned Rolled Oats, which are certified gluten-free and the bag I always turn to for my oat recipes.
Use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour to keep this recipe entirely gluten-free as well!
How to Make
This cranberry bar recipe comes together with a few different parts. If I have some extra time in the kitchen, I like to prep the cranberry jam filling ahead of time, that way its already chilled and ready for me in the fridge. Here’s how to do it:
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8×8 inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
Make the Crumble Base & Topping
In a large bowl combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, spices and cubed, cold butter. Bring together with a pastry blender or fork, making sure to cut the butter into the flour. Use your hands at the end as necessary.
TIP: The mixture should look crumbled, but hold together when pinched together.
Par Bake the Bottom
Add ⅔ of the crumble mixture to the prepared baking dish, making sure to press evenly into all 4 corners.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly golden. Set aside to cool.
Make the Cranberry Filling
In a small saucepan over medium heat add the cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest and almond extract. Bring up to a light simmer and allow to cook for approx. 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and stir in tapioca flour until fully combined. The mixture will thicken here upon adding the tapioca flour.
Assemble & Bake
Pour the cranberry filling over the pre-baked crust. Top with the rest of the crumble topping, making big and small clumps as desired. Finish with almond slices, if desired.
Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until edges start to bubble and topping is golden brown.
Let Cool
Allow the pan to cool at room temperature for one hour. Then transfer to the fridge for another 45 minutes.
TIP: Pan must be chilled before cutting into bars for easier cutting.
Make Glaze (optional)
In a small bowl, mix together powdered sugar and orange juice to make the glaze.
Slice and Enjoy!
Lift parchment paper from sides and carefully place bars on cutting board. Use a large sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Drizzle with glaze.
Bars have a nice crust and jammy filling – so delicious!
Serving Suggestions
These cranberry crumb bars add a gorgeous color and festive cheer to just about any occasion. I love to serve them as:
- Breakfast treat: Who wouldn’t love starting their day with a square of jammy goodness? They go great with a hot cup of coffee or tea.
- After school snack: Pack one or two in your kids lunch box or enjoy as an afternoon pick-me-up.
- Holidays: Thanksgiving and Christmas wouldn’t be complete without cranberries in some form. Serve these as part of the dessert course to wow all your guests!
How to Store & Make Ahead
Cranberry bars will keep in an airtight container stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. I do recommend keeping these in the fridge, rather than at room temperature, so the cranberry jam and icing stay set.
Make Ahead Instructions: Cranberry filling can be made up to 3 days in advance. Cranberry bars can also be made 1-2 days prior to serving on the big day. Store any leftovers as instructed above.
Baking Tips & Notes:
- Use leftover cranberry sauce. Use about 1.5 cups leftover cranberry sauce instead of making the filling.
- Make sure butter is cold. I like to cut it into cubes first, then stick it in the fridge while I gather and measure the rest of my ingredients. Cold butter will make for a more tender crumb.
- Glaze is optional, but recommend. The finishing glaze is totally optional, but it adds a lovely sweet tang!
- Chilling is important. This allows time for the cranberry filling to set. It also makes it easier to cut into even, clean squares.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use frozen cranberries instead of fresh?
Yes! And there is no need to thaw. Simply add a few minutes to the simmering time.
Do I need to cook the cranberry mixture before baking the bars?
Yes. If you use raw cranberries, they will release too much liquid and the filling will never set. It’s important to cook out some of the moisture and thicken the filling with a starch to hold it together.
How do I prevent the bars from being too soggy?
To prevent soggy bars, thicken the cranberry filling with tapioca flour, bake until the topping is golden brown, and cool the bars completely before slicing.
Why are my crumble bars falling apart?
The cranberry bars probably didn’t cool enough before slicing. I make sure to cool the bars to cool room temperature so they set completely. Placing them in the fridge once cool also helps to hold their texture.
More Cranberry Dessert Recipes You’ll Love:
If you make this Cranberry Crumble Bars recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Cranberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
Oat Crumble Mixture
- 1 ¼ cups old fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup 1-to-1 All-Purpose Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- almond slices, for garnish
Filling
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tablespoons orange zest, about 2 oranges
- ½ cup orange juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract, or vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 8×8 baking pan with parchment paper; set aside.
- Make crumble: In a large bowl combine oats, flour, brown sugar, salt, spices and cubed butter. Use dough blender to bring mixture together, using hands at the end as necessary – mixture should be crumbled but hold when pressed together.
- Bake crust: Add ⅔ of crumble mixture to lined baking pan and press evenly into all 4 corners. Bake for 10-12 minutes; remove from oven and set aside to cool.
- Make filling: While the pan is cooling, make the filling: In a small saucepan over medium heat add cranberries, maple syrup, orange zest, orange juice and almond extract. Cook down for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in tapioca flour until dissolved – mixture will get thicker here.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour filling over pre-baked crust and add the rest of the crumbled topping, making clumps as desired. Sprinkle with almond slices, if desired. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until edges start to bubble and topping is golden brown.
- Cool and chill: Allow pan to cool at room temperature for one hour. Then transfer the pan to the fridge for another 45 minutes. Pan must be chilled before cutting into bars.
- Make the glaze: Once the bars have chilled completely, mix together powdered sugar and orange juice to make the glaze.
- Slice: Lift parchment paper from sides and carefully place bars on cutting board; use a large sharp knife to cut into 16 squares. Drizzle with glaze. Bars have a nice crust and jammy filling – enjoy!
Leave a Reply