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Cranberry Crumble Bars

Easy, one-pan shortbread bars with a tart and gooey cranberry filling and a thick white glaze. A perfect holiday dessert.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Cooling Time 2 hours
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 16 bars
Course: Bar, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Crumble Crust and Topping
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
Gooey Cranberry Filling
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen cranberries do not thaw if frozen
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp all-purpose flour or 1 tbsp cornstarch for thick viscosity
  • 0.25 cup orange juice or water
Thick White Glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk or heavy cream add very sparingly
  • 0.5 tsp almond or vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 8x8 inch baking pan
  • Parchment paper
  • Mixing bowls
  • Hand mixer or stand mixer

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
  2. Cream butter, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix in flour and baking powder until large, moist clumps form.
  3. Press 2/3 of the mixture into the bottom of the pan to form the crust. Reserve 1/3 for topping.
  4. Bake crust for 10 minutes while preparing the filling.
  5. For the filling: Toss cranberries, granulated sugar, flour/cornstarch, and orange juice until coated. Mixture will be slightly wet.
  6. Spread cranberry filling over the pre-baked crust. Sprinkle reserved crumble mixture over the top.
  7. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown and the filling is visibly thick, gooey, and bubbling.
  8. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours) before slicing and glazing. The gooey filling needs to set.
  9. For the glaze: Whisk powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk. Add remaining milk 1 tsp at a time until a heavy, viscous, gooey paste forms. Stir in extract.
  10. Drizzle the thick white glaze generously over the cooled bars. Let set for 15-20 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Cooling completely is critical! Slicing while warm will cause the gooey filling to run. Use cornstarch in the filling for maximum viscous, jam-like texture. Add liquid to the glaze very slowly to maintain a thick, heavy consistency.