Description
These Oatmeal Cranberry Bars are a delightful blend of chewy oats and tart cranberries, topped with a buttery cinnamon crumble. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, they make a delicious treat for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
Ingredients
Oatmeal Bar Base
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup butter (cold & cubed)
Cranberry Layer
- 3 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)
Crumble Topping
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the bars.
- Mix the base dry ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, rolled oats, baking powder, and sea salt for the oatmeal bar base.
- Add butter and form crumbs: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry mixture and use your hands to mix until you form a crumbly dough.
- Press base into baking dish: Spray a 9x13 inch baking dish with cooking spray, then press the crumbly oat mixture evenly into the dish to form the base layer.
- Add cranberry layer: Evenly spread the cranberries over the oatmeal base, covering it completely.
- Prepare crumble topping: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, and ground cinnamon.
- Add butter to topping and crumble: Add the remaining butter to the topping mixture and mix with your fingers until you get a coarse crumble.
- Sprinkle crumble topping: Evenly sprinkle the crumble mixture over the cranberries for a sweet, crunchy topping.
- Bake the bars: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the crumble is golden brown and the cranberries are bubbly.
- Cool before slicing: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool for at least 30 minutes to set before slicing into 12 bars.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold when mixing into the base for a better crumb texture.
- If using frozen cranberries, do not thaw before spreading to avoid excess moisture.
- Letting the bars cool completely helps them firm up and makes slicing easier.
- You can substitute fresh cranberries with dried cranberries but reduce sugar to balance sweetness.
- These bars can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature or refrigerated up to a week.
