Description
These Cranberry Crumble Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a tangy sweet cranberry filling, and a smooth vanilla glaze on top, perfect for a festive dessert or snack during the holiday season.
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 for even mixing.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, mixing to combine well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl again.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt to combine evenly.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Avoid over mixing.
- Reserve Dough for Topping: Set aside roughly 2 cups of the dough, loosely packed, to be used later as the crumble topping.
- Press Dough for Crust: Press the remaining dough evenly into an 8 x 8 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use your hands or the flat side of a measuring cup to press it into the corners and form a uniform crust.
- Pre-bake Crust: Bake the crust at 350°F for 15 minutes until edges are slightly golden and the center is just set. Be careful not to over bake. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, mix cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract until combined. Pour this cranberry mixture evenly over the pre-baked crust.
- Add Crumble Topping: Using your hands, break up the reserved 2 cups of shortbread dough into smaller, flat pieces and sprinkle them randomly over the cranberry filling, allowing gaps so cranberries peek through.
- Bake Bars: Bake the bars for about 45 minutes at 350°F. Cover the top with aluminum foil for the last 10 to 15 minutes to prevent the crumble topping from turning too dark.
- Cool Bars: Remove bars from oven and place the pan on a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make Vanilla Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk (or heavy cream), and vanilla extract until the glaze is thin enough to drizzle but not transparent. Add 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 tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- May be frozen before adding the vanilla glaze. Defrost at room temperature, then drizzle with glaze before serving.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute butter with a plant-based alternative and milk in the glaze with almond or oat milk.
- Ensure to not over bake crust or bars to maintain a tender texture.
- Use fresh or frozen cranberries interchangeably without defrosting; frozen will work well for the filling.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
