Description
These Cranberry Crumble Bars feature a buttery shortbread crust topped with a tart and sweet cranberry filling, finished with a luscious vanilla glaze. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a delicious seasonal treat.
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
- 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
Vanilla Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
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.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla, mixing to combine well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine Dough: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl. Do not over mix.
- Reserve Dough: Set aside roughly 2 cups of the dough (loosely packed) to use on top of the crumble later.
- Press Crust: Press the shortbread dough evenly into an 8 x 8 baking pan lined with parchment paper, using your hands or the flat side of a measuring cup to reach the corners.
- Bake Crust: Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown and the center is just set. Do not over bake.
- Cool Crust: Remove the pan from the oven and allow the crust to cool slightly while you prepare the cranberry filling.
- Prepare Cranberry Filling: In a large bowl, mix together the cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest and juice, and vanilla.
- Assemble Bars: Pour the cranberry mixture over the pre-baked crust. Break up the reserved 2 cups of shortbread dough into smaller flat pieces and randomly place them on top of the cranberry filling, leaving space for cranberries to show through.
- Bake Bars: Bake for about 45 minutes, covering the top with aluminum foil for the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Cool Bars: Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
- Make Vanilla Glaze: Whisk together powdered sugar, milk or heavy cream, and vanilla until glaze is thin enough to drizzle but not transparent. Adjust with more milk or powdered sugar as needed.
- Glaze and Serve: Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the cooled bars and slice into 16 squares.
Notes
- Store bars tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Bars can be frozen before glazing. Defrost at room temperature and then drizzle with glaze before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 square
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
