Description
Delight in these Cranberry Crumble Bars featuring a buttery shortbread crust layered with tart cranberry filling and finished with a smooth vanilla glaze. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tangy, 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 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, mixing until well combined. Scrape down the bowl sides to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: 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 maintain a tender crust.
- Reserve Dough for Topping: Set aside approximately 2 cups of the dough loosely packed; this will be used as the crumble topping 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 reach into all corners.
- Pre-Bake Crust: Bake the crust at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden and the center is just set. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, combine cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Stir until well mixed.
- Assemble Layers: Pour the cranberry filling evenly over the warm pre-baked crust. Use your hands to break the reserved dough into smaller, flat pieces and scatter them randomly atop the cranberry layer, leaving gaps for the cranberries to peek through.
- Bake Crumble Bars: Bake for 45 minutes at 350°F. During the last 10 to 15 minutes, cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent overly darkening the crumble topping.
- Cool Bars: Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Let the bars cool completely before proceeding to the glaze.
- Prepare Vanilla Glaze: Whisk powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract together until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more milk if too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin. The glaze should be thin but not transparent.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the cooled bars. Slice into 16 squares and serve.
Notes
- Store the bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days to maintain freshness.
- You can freeze the bars before adding the vanilla glaze; defrost at room temperature before drizzling with glaze.
- If fresh cranberries are out of season, frozen cranberries work equally well; do not thaw before mixing.
- Use parchment paper lining for easier removal and cleaner edges when slicing.
- For a dairy-free glaze, substitute milk with almond or oat milk and use powdered sugar accordingly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 220 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 28 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
