Chewy Bakery Style Cranberry Crumble Bars
There is something so satisfying about taking a simple, seasonal ingredient and turning it into a bakery worthy treat. These Cranberry Crumble Bars do exactly that. They are cozy, bright, chewy, and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. If you have leftover cranberry sauce after a holiday meal, this recipe is the most delicious way to transform it. And if you don’t, make a fresh batch of my Homemade Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce because it gives these bars the most incredible flavor.
Warm brown sugar, buttery oats, vibrant cranberry filling and just a hint of orange and almond, come together in a dessert that tastes like the holidays. These bars slice perfectly and travel well which makes them ideal for gatherings, gifting or enjoying with your morning coffee.
Serving Ideas
Serve these bars with:
• Warm with a scoop of vanilla or ice cream
• Fresh whipped cream
• Topped with powdered sugar for a bakery-style finish
• With your morning coffee or afternoon snack
Favorite Tools & Ingredients
• Square Baking Pan
• Unbleached Parchment Paper
• Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
• The BEST Sprouted Rolled Oats
• Zester
Leftovers To Bakery-Style Treat
These Cranberry Crumble Bars are the easiest, most delicious dessert to make with leftover cranberry sauce…sweet, tart, buttery, and totally craveable. They are festive, easy, and SO delicious. Whether you use my Homemade Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce or a high quality store-bought version, you will end up with a dessert people ask for again and again.
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Gina
Cranberry Crumble Bars
Ingredients
For the Crust & Crumble:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats
- ¾ cup brown sugar packed
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Filling:
- 2 cups leftover cranberry sauce
- ½ tsp almond extract
- Zest of 1 orange optional but recommended
- 1 tbsp cornstarch only if your cranberry sauce is very thin
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch pan with parchment, leaving overhang for easy removal.
Crust:
- In a large bowl, combine: flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
- Pour in the melted butter and vanilla and mix until the mixture looks like wet sand and clumps together.
- Transfer 2/3 of the mixture into the pan and press firmly to create an even, compact crust.
Filling:
- Stir the cranberry sauce with orange zest, almond extract, and cornstarch if needed.
- Spread the cranberry filling evenly over the crust.
- Sprinkle the remaining oat crumble over the cranberry layer.
- Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until the top is golden and the cranberry layer is bubbling around the edges.
- Let cool for at least 2 hours or refrigerate for clean, neat slices.
Notes
- Room temperature: 2 days
- Fridge: 5 days
- Freezer: 2 months (slice first, freeze in layers)
