Description
These Cranberry Bars are a delightful blend of tart cranberries and a buttery crumb crust, perfect for a festive treat or an everyday snack. Featuring a homemade crumbly crust and a luscious cranberry filling infused with a hint of orange zest, these bars bake to golden perfection and are easy to slice and serve.
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, making sure to leave an overhang on the sides for easy removal of the bars later.
- Make Crust Dough: In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter and use a pastry cutter or your fingers to blend until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the lightly 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 base. Reserve the remaining dough for the topping.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cranberries, 3/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and water. Cook the mixture while stirring frequently until the cranberries burst and the filling thickens, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the orange zest if using and stir well. Let the filling cool slightly.
- Assemble Bars: Evenly spread the cooled cranberry filling over the pressed crust in the pan. Then crumble the reserved dough evenly over the cranberry layer as a topping.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool and Slice: Allow the cranberry bars to cool completely in the pan. Using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bars out of the pan and slice into 12 servings before serving.
Notes
- For an extra burst of flavor, include the optional orange zest in the cranberry filling.
- Using frozen cranberries is fine; no need to thaw before cooking.
- Make sure the butter is cold when mixing the crust to get the best crumbly texture.
- Allow bars to cool completely before slicing to avoid a runny filling.
- Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
