Description
Delight in these Cranberry Crumble Bars featuring a buttery shortbread crust, tangy cranberry filling, and a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfectly balanced with cinnamon and orange zest, these bars make a festive treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups (405 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cranberry Filling
- 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until combined thoroughly. Scrape down the bowl sides again to incorporate all ingredients.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
- Combine Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Avoid overmixing to keep the crust tender.
- Set Aside Dough: Reserve roughly 2 cups of the dough loosely packed to use later as the crumble topping.
- Press Dough Into Pan: Press the remaining shortbread dough evenly into the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, pressing firmly into the corners and edges with your hands or the flat side of a measuring cup.
- Pre-bake Crust: Bake the crust at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the edges turn slightly golden and the center is just set. Remove and allow to cool slightly.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, mix fresh or frozen cranberries with granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract until combined well.
- Add Filling on Crust: Pour the cranberry mixture evenly over the pre-baked shortbread crust.
- Add Crumble Topping: Break the reserved 2 cups of dough into smaller, flat pieces with your hands and scatter them over the cranberry filling, leaving gaps for the filling to peek through.
- Bake Bars: Bake for 45 minutes total, covering the top with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning of the crumble.
- Cool Completely: Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely before glazing.
- Make Vanilla Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and slightly runny but not transparent. Adjust thickness by adding more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Slice into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- Store bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
- Bars can be frozen before adding the vanilla glaze. Defrost at room temperature before glazing.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and make removal easier.
- If using frozen cranberries, thaw slightly to avoid excess moisture but do not fully defrost before preparing the filling.
- Adjust sweetness in filling or glaze according to taste preferences.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
