Description
These Fresh Cranberry Bars with Oat Crumble Topping combine tangy homemade cranberry sauce with a buttery oat crumble for a deliciously sweet and tart treat perfect for fall and holiday seasons. The bars are easy to prepare with wholesome ingredients including rolled oats, walnuts, and fresh cranberries, baked to perfection for a crisp topping and a soft fruit layer.
Ingredients
Scale
Crumble Topping
- 1 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick oats)
- 2/3 cup coconut sugar
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 Tbsp. flaxseed, ground
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ground
Fresh Cranberry Filling
- 1 12 oz. bag Fresh Cranberries
- 4 Tbsp. lemon juice, fresh
- 1 Tbsp. lemon zest
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the bars.
- Prepare the Crumble Topping: In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, rolled oats, coconut sugar, melted unsalted butter, chopped walnuts, ground flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Mix thoroughly until the butter binds the dry ingredients into a crumbly mixture.
- Form and Bake the Crust: Press half of the crumble mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8×8 inch oven-safe baking dish. Bake this base layer for 15 minutes to start the crust.
- Cook the Cranberry Filling: While the crust is baking, place fresh cranberries, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, and granulated sugar into a saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally and allow the cranberries to pop and release their juices, cooking down into a thick cranberry sauce. Add water one tablespoon at a time if the mixture becomes too thick or dry.
- Assemble the Bars: Once the crust has baked for 15 minutes, remove the dish from the oven. Pour the warm cranberry sauce evenly over the baked crust layer. Then, sprinkle the remaining half of the oat crumble mixture on top to cover the cranberry layer.
- Bake the Final Bars: Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the crumble topping is golden and crisp.
- Cool and Serve: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to rest for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. This resting time helps the bars set and makes them easier to cut.
Notes
- Use rolled oats for texture; avoid quick oats which can become mushy.
- If fresh cranberries are unavailable, frozen cranberries can be used but may require a slightly longer cooking time for the sauce to thicken.
- Allow bars to cool completely for best slicing results.
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- For a nut-free version, omit walnuts and increase oats or add sunflower seeds.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar (approx. 1/9 of recipe)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 120 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg
