Oatmeal Cranberry Bars Recipe
These delicious Oatmeal Cranberry Bars combine a buttery, crumbly oat base with tart cranberries and a sweet cinnamon brown sugar crumble topping. Perfect for a snack, breakfast treat, or dessert, they are easy to make and bake into a flavorful, wholesome bar.
- Author: Clara
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 bars 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Oatmeal Bars
- ¾ cup flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup cold butter, cubed
- 3 cups cranberries, fresh or frozen
Brown Sugar Crumble
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the bars evenly.
- Mix Dry Ingredients for Bars: In a large bowl, combine ¾ cup of flour, 1 cup brown sugar, 2 cups rolled oats, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Stir well to distribute all the dry ingredients evenly.
- Add Butter and Form Crumble: Add ¾ cup of cold, cubed butter to the dry mix. Using your hands, work the butter into the mixture until crumbly. The texture should resemble coarse crumbs or sand.
- Press into Baking Dish: Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Press the crumbly oat mixture evenly into the bottom of the dish to form the base layer.
- Add Cranberries: Spread 3 cups of cranberries evenly over the pressed oat base layer. The cranberries can be fresh or frozen, whichever you prefer.
- Prepare Crumble Topping: In a small bowl, mix 2 tablespoons flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with your fingers or a fork until a coarse crumb topping forms.
- Sprinkle Crumble: Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar crumble mixture over the layer of cranberries, covering them completely.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, until the crumble topping is golden brown and the cranberries are bubbling.
- Cool and Slice: Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool for at least 30 minutes to let them set. Once cooled, slice into bars and serve.
Notes
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. For longer storage, keep them refrigerated for up to a week or freeze for up to 2 months.
- Variations: You can substitute dried cranberries if fresh or frozen are not available; reduce sugar slightly if dried cranberries are used as they are sweeter.
- Butter Tip: Use cold butter for the crumbly texture; if butter softens too much, chill the mixture before pressing into the pan.
Keywords: oatmeal cranberry bars, cranberry bars, oatmeal bars, cranberry dessert, crumbly bars, baked bars, easy dessert