Go Back
Print Recipe

Cranberry Almond Crumble Bars

Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Dessert, treat
Cuisine: American
Keyword: citrus, comfort, cozy, easy, seasonal, sweet
Servings: 16 bars
Author: Christen Clark

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 2 cups (8 ounces) fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • 1/2 tsp lemon zest
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the crust:

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup rolled oats
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 12 tbsp unsalted butter very cold and cubed
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
    Make the filling first. Combine all of the ingredients and stir very well. Set aside while you make the crumble crust.
    Place the flour, oats, baking powder, salt and brown sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Add the cold butter cubes. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Add the yolks and vanilla and pulse just a few more times. It should still be loose when you press it into the pan. Do not overmix or the bars will not be crumbly.
    Remove 1 cup of the mix and combine it with the sliced almonds in a second bowl.
    Pour the remaining crust into a 9 x 9 inch pan that has been fitted with 2 overlapping sheets of parchment that have the excess hanging over the edge. Those edges of parchment are going to act as handles to lift the finished bar out of the pan later on. Fit the parchment snugly into the corners and up the edges of the pan before pouring in the dough.
    Pour the loose dough into the pan. Use your buttered hands to press the dough firmly and as evenly as possible across the bottom of the pan, all the way to the edges and to the corners.
    Next, give the filling a final stir to redistribute everything. Pour the cranberry filling over the bottom crust and use a rubber spatula or your hands to spread it evenly.
    Next, grab handfuls of the reserved crust/almond mixture and sprinkle it all over the cranberries. Finally, use buttered hands to gently press the top crust down onto the cranberries.
    Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. The edges will be golden brown. Leave in the pan to cool completely. Do not try to remove it while warm or it will fall apart.
    Once cooled, grab the parchment handles and lift the entire bar onto a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut into bars.