Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

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Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: My hearty Cranberry Oatmeal Bars are the party-ready seasonal treat you’ll adore! These tangy-sweet squares come together easily with pantry staples, and no special equipment is needed.

• Straightforward: Make the oat mixture for the base and topping, and layer with the cranberry sauce. This recipe is a snap! 
• Perfectly festive: These cheery bars set the tone for a holiday party, a sweet Christmas breakfast, or a wonderful winter snack.
• Go-to for cranberry sauce season: This is the most delicious way to use up that leftover cranberry sauce!
• Ready in under an hour: These irresistible bars bake up in 30 minutes.
• Pastry shop specialness! This is one of those magic recipes where simple ingredients and technique deliver a delightfully elevated result.

I love the convenience of using cranberry sauce in this recipes so it saves you chopping or blitzing the fruit. Everyone has their favorite cranberry sauce but for this recipe I’d strongly suggest buys a good quality jar just so you can really taste the fruit. I do not recommend ‘jellied’ cranberry sauce for this recipe. P.S don’t forget about this little recipe the days after Thanksgiving when the turkey is gone but you still have left over cranberry sauce.

Table of Contents

• What are Cranberry Oatmeal Bars?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Substitutes
• How to Make Cranberry Oatmeal Bars
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Store Instructions
• FAQs
• More Cranberry Recipes

What are Cranberry Oatmeal Bars?

• Cranberry Oatmeal Bars are layered dessert bars featuring cranberry sauce filling and a buttery oat mixture that bakes into a cookie-like base and a crumbly, toasty topping. They are portable, chewy, fruity, crispy treats.
  • Flavor: Tart, sweet, buttery, nutty.
  • Texture: Cakey, crispy, juicy.
  • Main ingredients: Whole berry cranberry sauce, rolled oats, dark brown sugar, butter.
  • Great for: Brunch, open house parties, family dinner, snacks, dessert, holiday gatherings, bake sales, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s celebrations.
• Cranberry Oatmeal Bars are in the tradition of the thrifty recipes of the Great Depression that used cupboard ingredients and fruit or preserves to make a satisfying dessert that was easy and portable. Using cranberry sauce gives this nostalgic recipe a perfect seasonal update.

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 9×13-inch (23×33-cm) baking dish
• Parchment paper

Key Ingredients and Substitutes

Rolled oats

• Rolled oats give these bars a satisfying chew and wholesome substance.
• The oats have a delightfully nutty flavor.
• Substitute: Rolled oats have the best texture, but if you prefer softer bars, you can use quick oats instead of rolled oats.

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour helps hold the oats together and gives the crust mixture structure.
• Substitute: Replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier flavor and texture.
  • For a gluten-free option, use the same amount of Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or another gluten-free flour.

Dark brown sugar

• Dark brown sugar sweetens the oat mixture.
• Additionally, dark brown sugar gives a rich, deep molasses flavor and a toffee-like note.
• Make your own dark brown sugar with my 2-ingredient recipe.
• Substitute: You can use an equal amount of light brown sugar for a milder flavor.
  • You can also use the same amount of coconut sugar, but your bars may be slightly drier and crisper.

Baking powder

• Using baking powder here gives these oatmeal bars a cakier, softer crumb compared to a typical oatmeal crisp mixture.
• Importantly, using baking powder and creating a more cake-like texture allows creates a cohesive base, making bars that are easy to cut and serve.

Salt

• Salt enhances the flavors and balances the sweetness

Butter

• Butter helps bind the ingredients and creates a bottom layer that’s crisp on the outside and more tender within.
• Additionally, butter gives the cranberry bars oatmeal a rich and satisfying flavor.
• It’s crucial that you use softened butter so that it mixes thoroughly and evenly with the dry ingredients. Here are my tips for how to soften butter properly.
• Substitute: Use coconut oil that is solid at cool room temperature—you want it scoopable and soft but not liquid.

Whole cranberry sauce

• Whole cranberry sauce gives these dessert bars a brightly tart, fruity-sweet flavor.
• Cranberries have a high pectin content, which gives them the perfect jammy thickness for the cookie bar filling.
• Substitute: You can use the same amount of homemade cranberry sauce, made with either fresh or frozen cranberries.

How to Make Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

1. Prepare to bake: Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C). Butter and line a 9×13-inch (23×33 cm) baking pan. Set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Add in butter: Rub in the butter until evenly combined and resembles damp, coarse breadcrumbs.

4. Make base layer: Press ¾ of the oat mixture firmly and evenly into the prepared pan.

5. Layer cranberry sauce and topping: Gently spread the cranberry sauce over the oat layer, then sprinkle the remaining ¼ of the oat mixture over the cranberries, pressing down lightly to ensure that it all sticks together.

6. Bake: Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and set.

7. Cool and cut: Allow to cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 bars.

FULL (PRINTABLE) RECIPE BELOW! 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• DIY option: Instead of canned, you can use 1 ¾ cups (14 oz/397 g) of homemade cranberry sauce.
• Firm base: Be sure to press firmly down on the base when assembling the bars so that they hold together after baking.
• Tell-tale sign: The bars are done when the top is golden and the filling looks set. Note that the crumble topping doesn’t get very brown, but the edges will be toasty-looking when the bars are done.
• Nut note: If you like nuts in your crumble, add a ½ cup (2 ½ oz/71 g) of your favorite toasted and chopped nuts to the topping only. (Adding nuts to the base might make it too crumbly.)
• All-season option: This recipe is great for summer with strawberry jam or raspberry jam in place of the cranberry sauce.
• Cool time: Make sure these cool completely before serving, as they’ll continue to set.

Make Ahead and Store Instructions

Make-ahead tips

• You can prepare the oatmeal mixture ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
• If you’d like, you can bake these bars ahead of time and keep them at room temperature for up to three days.
• You can also refrigerate baked, cooled Cranberry Oatmeal Bars for up to five days.
  • For the best flavor and texture, let the bars sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
• For longer storage, these bars can be frozen for up to two months in an airtight container.
  • Defrost at room temperature for an hour before serving.

How to store leftovers

• Store leftover oatmeal cranberry bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
• You can also refrigerate the leftover bars in an airtight container for up to five days.
• For more extended storage, these bars can be frozen for up to two months in an airtight container.

FAQs

Can I make these holiday bars gluten-free?

• Yes, you can make these holiday bars gluten-free.
• In place of the all-purpose flour, use the same amount of my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix.
• You can also use an equal amount of another gluten-free flour.

What are some mix-ins I can use in these cranberry bars?

• Spice up the oatmeal mixture. To the dry ingredients, add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, or 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger, or both!
• For a bit of creamy decadence, sprinkle 1/2 cup (2 oz/57 g) of white chocolate chips on top of the cranberry sauce before adding the topping and baking.
• Add a citrus note to the filling by mixing 1 teaspoon of orange zest or 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest into the cranberry sauce.

What filling do I use in these bars instead of whole berry cranberry sauce?

• A thick cranberry compote or cranberry relish will also work well in this recipe.
• You can also substitute cherry preserves, apricot preserves, or pear preserves for the cranberry sauce.
•  A jam, such as blackberry jam, strawberry jam, plum jam, or raspberry jam, would make a flavorful and thick filling.
• Apple butter or pumpkin butter would also work, but note you’ll have a smoother, sweeter filling.

More Cranberry Recipes

• Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies
• Cranberry Orange Cake Recipe with Lemon Glaze
• Cranberry Orange Crumb Tart
• White Chocolate Cranberry Ice Cream
• Cranberry Pistachio Shortbread Cookies

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