Cranberry Crumble Bars Holiday (Print-Friendly Format)

Buttery shortbread and tart cranberries meet a golden crumble and vanilla glaze in this crowd-pleasing treat.

# Ingredients You’ll Need:

→ Shortbread Crust

01 - 226 g unsalted butter, softened
02 - 100 g granulated sugar
03 - 100 g light brown sugar, packed
04 - 1 large egg, at room temperature
05 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
06 - 405 g all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
07 - 0.75 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 0.25 teaspoon kosher salt

→ Cranberry Filling

10 - 2.5 cups (approximately 250 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
11 - 133 g granulated sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
13 - 1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
14 - 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
15 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Vanilla Glaze

16 - 75 g powdered sugar, sifted
17 - 60 ml whole milk or heavy cream
18 - 0.5 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# How to Make It:

01 - In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
02 - Add the egg and vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Mix until well incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until the dough just begins to pull away from the sides. Avoid over-mixing.
04 - Set aside roughly 2 cups of loosely packed dough for the crumb topping. Press the remaining dough firmly into an 20 x 20 cm (8 x 8 inch) baking pan lined with parchment paper, ensuring an even layer.
05 - Bake at 175°C (350°F) for 15 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden and the centre is set. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly while preparing the filling.
06 - In a large bowl, combine cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and vanilla extract. Mix gently until cranberries are evenly coated.
07 - Pour the cranberry mixture evenly over the par-baked crust. Break the reserved dough into small, flat pieces and scatter them over the cranberry filling, leaving some gaps for the fruit to show through.
08 - Return pan to the oven and bake for 45 minutes. During the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking, loosely cover with aluminium foil to prevent over-browning.
09 - Remove from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow bars to cool completely before applying glaze.
10 - In a bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk if too thick or additional sugar if too thin. The glaze should be pourable but opaque.
11 - Drizzle vanilla glaze over cooled bars. Slice into squares and serve.

# Extra Tips:

01 - For optimal freshness, store covered at room temperature for up to 4 days.
02 - Bars may be frozen before glazing; thaw at room temperature prior to adding glaze for best results.

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