Cranberry Bars

🥘 Ingredients

• all-purpose flour
  375 g
• baking powder
  1 tsp
• cinnamon
  1 tsp
• cold cubed unsalted butter
  226 g
• confectioners' sugar
  120 g
• cornstarch
  1 Tbsp
• egg
  1 large
• fresh or frozen cranberries
  400 g
• fresh orange juice
  45 g
• granulated sugar
  350 g
• milk
  60 g
• orange zest
  2 tsp
• salt
  1/4 tsp
• sliced almonds (optional)
  30 g
• vanilla
  2 tsp

🍳 Cookware

• 9 X 13-inch baking pan
• parchment paper
• large bowl
• pastry cutter
• small bowl

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line the bottom and sides of a 9 X 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper , leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out (makes cutting easier!). Set aside.
2. 2

   Make the crumble mixture for the crust and topping: Whisk the all-purpose flour , granulated sugar , baking powder , salt , and cinnamon together in a large bowl . Add the cold cubed unsalted butter and using a pastry cutter , two forks, or a food processor, cut in the butter until all the flour is coated and resembles pea-sized crumbles. This takes at least ⏱️ 5 minutes of cutting in with a pastry cutter.

   all-purpose flour: 375 g, granulated sugar: 200 g, baking powder: 1 tsp, salt: 1/4 tsp, cinnamon: 1 tsp, cold cubed unsalted butter: 226 g
3. 3

   Whisk the egg , milk , and vanilla together in a small bowl . Pour over the flour/butter mixture and gently mix together until the mixture resembles moist crumbly sand.

   egg: 1 large, milk: 60 g, vanilla: 2 tsp
4. 4

   You will have about 6 cups of the crust/crumble mixture. Set 2 cups aside. Pour the remaining into the prepared pan and flatten down with your hands or a flat spatula to form an even crust. It will be a little crumbly, which is ok. Set aside. (Almonds will be used in the topping in the next step.)
5. 5

   Cranberry Filling: Mix the fresh or frozen cranberries , granulated sugar , cornstarch , orange zest , and fresh orange juice . Spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture all over the cranberries. Sprinkle the sliced almonds (optional) all over top.

   fresh or frozen cranberries: 400 g, granulated sugar: 150 g, cornstarch: 1 Tbsp, orange zest: 2 tsp, fresh orange juice: 15 g, sliced almonds (optional): 30 g
6. 6

   Bake for about 40 to ⏱️ 50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out *mostly* clean (with a few jammy cranberry specks!). Mine take about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. After about ⏱️ 1 hour , I stick the whole pan in the refrigerator to help speed things up.
7. 7

   Make the icing and cut into squares: Whisk the fresh orange juice , confectioners' sugar together. Add more orange juice to thin out, if desired. Drizzle over cooled bars, then cut into squares.

   fresh orange juice: 30 g, confectioners' sugar: 120 g
8. 8

   Cover and store leftover cranberry bars (with or without icing) at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.