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Oatmeal Cranberry Bars Recipe

4.5 from 85 reviews

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the bars evenly.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Add Cranberries: Spread 3 cups of cranberries evenly over the pressed oat base layer. The cranberries can be fresh or frozen, whichever you prefer.
  6. 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.
  7. Sprinkle Crumble: Evenly sprinkle the brown sugar crumble mixture over the layer of cranberries, covering them completely.
  8. 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.
  9. 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