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Classic Cranberry Crumble Bars with Browned Butter Crust

A close-up, appetizing shot of a square cranberry crumble bars slice showing the thick, jammy filling and crumbly topping.
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Make these easy cranberry crumble bars featuring a rich, browned butter crust and a sweet-tart cranberry filling. They slice cleanly and are perfect for holiday baking.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides for easy removal.
  2. To brown the butter, melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the milk solids turn deep brown and the butter smells nutty. Pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl and let it cool slightly, about 15 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, combine the cooled browned butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, and salt. Mix with a fork until large, moist crumbs form. This is your crust and crumble mixture.
  4. Press two-thirds of the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan to form the crust. Bake for 12 minutes until lightly set.
  5. While the crust bakes, prepare the filling. In a medium bowl, gently toss the cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and orange juice until the cranberries are coated.
  6. Spread the cranberry filling evenly over the partially baked crust.
  7. Sprinkle the remaining one-third of the crumb mixture over the filling.
  8. Bake for 35 to 40 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, at least 2 hours, before lifting them out using the parchment overhang and cutting them into squares.

Notes

  • For a cleaner slice, chill the cooled bars in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before cutting.
  • You can substitute lemon zest and juice for the orange zest and juice if you prefer a sharper tartness.
  • If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw them before mixing them into the filling.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonfulsnap.com/cranberry-crumble-bars-recipe-2/