Description
These Cranberry Crumble Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a tangy cranberry filling and finished with a sweet vanilla glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a delicious treat any time of year, these bars combine tart cranberries with a warm cinnamon-spiced crumble topping baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Shortbread Crust
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (226 g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed (100 g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (405 g)
- 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 granulated sugar (133 g)
- 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 butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed butter mixture, mixing to combine well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again if needed.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- Combine Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Be careful not to overmix to keep the crust tender.
- Reserve Crumble Dough: Set aside roughly 2 cups of the dough (loosely packed) for topping the bars later.
- Press Dough into Pan: Press the remaining shortbread dough evenly into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper, making sure to cover the bottom and corners well.
- Bake Crust: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden and the center is just set. Avoid overbaking to keep it tender.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: While the crust cools slightly, mix together the cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.
- Layer Filling: Pour the cranberry mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
- Add Crumble Topping: Using your hands, break the reserved 2 cups of shortbread dough into small, flat pieces and scatter them randomly over the cranberry filling, leaving gaps so the filling can peek through.
- Bake Bars: Bake for about 45 minutes at 350°F, covering the pan with aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes to prevent the topping from darkening too much.
- Cool Bars: Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before adding the glaze.
- Make Vanilla Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, whole milk or heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the cooled bars. Slice into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- Store the bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- The bars may be frozen before adding the vanilla glaze; defrost at room temperature before glazing.
- Use parchment paper lining for easy removal and cleanup.
- Fresh or frozen cranberries can be used; no need to thaw frozen cranberries before mixing.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 33 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
