Description
Delight in these Cranberry Crumble Bars featuring a buttery shortbread crust, tangy cranberry filling with a hint of orange, and a smooth vanilla glaze. Perfect for a festive treat or cozy dessert, these bars combine tart cranberries with a sweet, crumbly topping baked to golden perfection.
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
- Prepare the Crust Dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine well. Scrape down the sides again.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and kosher salt until evenly mixed.
- Mix Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix just until the dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Avoid over mixing to ensure a tender crust.
- Reserve Dough for Topping: Set aside approximately 2 cups of the dough, loosely packed, to use later for the crumble topping.
- Press Dough into Pan: Press the remaining shortbread 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 into the corners and create an even crust layer.
- Partially Bake the Crust: Bake the crust at 350°F (175°C) for 15 minutes, or until the edges turn slightly golden and the center is just set. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool slightly.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, combine fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Mix gently until well combined.
- Assemble the Bars: Pour the cranberry filling evenly over the partially baked crust. Break the reserved shortbread dough into smaller flat pieces with your hands and randomly place these on top of the cranberry filling, leaving spaces so the cranberries peek through.
- Bake the Crumble Bars: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 45 minutes. To prevent the topping from browning too much, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking time.
- Cool the Bars: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make the Vanilla Glaze: Whisk together the sifted powdered sugar, 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. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but not transparent.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze evenly over the cooled cranberry crumble bars. Once glazed, slice into squares and serve.
Notes
- Store the bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- May be frozen before adding the vanilla glaze. Defrost at room temperature before drizzling with glaze.
- Using fresh or frozen cranberries both work well; no need to thaw frozen cranberries before mixing.
- Ensure not to over bake the crust and bars to maintain a tender texture.
- For a dairy-free version, substitute the butter with a plant-based alternative and use non-dairy milk in the glaze.
