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Cranberry Crumble Bars with Browned Butter and Orange Zest

Three golden cranberry crumble bars stacked on a white plate, showing the thick cranberry filling.
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Make these buttery cranberry crumble bars featuring a tart cranberry filling, a rich browned butter shortbread base, and a satisfying oat crumble topping.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • Zest of 1 large orange
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for filling)
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. To brown the butter, melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring often, until the milk solids turn golden brown and the butter smells nutty. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and orange zest.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
  5. Take out 1 1/2 cups of this dough mixture and set it aside for the topping. To the remaining dough in the bowl, add the oats and mix them in. Press this oat dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust.
  6. In a small bowl, mix the cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and orange juice until the cranberries are coated. Spread this cranberry mixture evenly over the crust layer.
  7. Crumble the reserved 1 1/2 cups of dough mixture evenly over the cranberry layer.
  8. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
  9. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. Cut into squares.

Notes

  • Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that complements the tart cranberries.
  • If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before mixing them into the filling.
  • You can substitute lemon zest for orange zest if preferred.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookerycourier.com/cranberry-crumble-bars-recipe/