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Home - Bars

Published: Feb 16, 2015 · Modified: Jan 3, 2024 by Amanda Powell · This post may contain affiliate links.

Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars

Jump to Recipe

Buttery crumb bars bursting with bright orange flavor companies sweet and tart cranberry filling for the best cranberry orange bars you will ever try!

Cranberry orange bars sliced on parchment paper

Why you'll love it

This recipe comes from the Smitten Kitchen cookbook, so it's been tested and retested thoroughly by the great and wonderful Deb Pearlman. The only changes I made were to amp up the flavors a little more by tweaking the spice.

Key ingredients

These cranberry orange bars use only a handful of ingredients, most of them are pantry staples. Here are some of the key ingredients. You can find the full list and measurements in the recipe card below.

  • Cranberries - This is a great recipe to use up any leftover fresh cranberries you may have. If you can't find any fresh cranberries, you can use frozen, but be sure not to thaw them.
  • Orange - Use your favorite type of orange. Typically, I use navel or Cara Cara oranges.
  • Sugar - Granulated sugar is recommended for this recipe, but you can add a bit more depth by substituting it with brown sugar.
Close up of bar on plate

How to Make

Making these bars is so easy. You can whip them up any time the craving strikes or when you have to bake something for company.

  1. Add the dry ingredients for the crumb into a food processor.
  2. Pulse until combined.
  3. Add in the butter a few tablespoons at a time, pulsing one or two times to gently incorporate.
  4. Add in the egg and orange juice once the butter is all added and pulse slightly to combine.
  5. Spread half the mixture into a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan and press down into an even layer. Set aside the remaining mixture.
  6. Wipe down the food processor and add everything for the filling together and pulse to chop well.
  7. Pour the filling over the crumb base, then crumble the remaining crumb mixture over top.
  8. Bake until the crumbs are a light golden brown. Cool completely before serving.
Sliced bars on plates

Storage

Cranberry orange bars should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They can be stored in the freezer if you cut into squares and freeze on a baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature.

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Recipe Card

These cranberry crumb bars so so delish.

Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars

Amanda Powell
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr
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Ingredients
  

For the Crumb

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • zest of one orange
  • 16 tablespoons 1 cup unsalted butter, cut in cubes and chilled
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoon orange juice

For the Filling

  • 12 oz bag fresh cranberries
  • zest from one orange
  • 3 tablespoons orange juice
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 1 ½ tablespoon cornstarch
Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides of the pan to create a sling. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F
  • In a food processor, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and orange zest together. Pulse once to twice to combine. Slowly add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, pulsing between additions, until the mixture resembles large crumbs. Add the egg and juice and pulse one or two times so the mixture looks like coarse meal.
  • Place half the mixture in the baking pan and press down to create the base. Set aside.
  • Clean out your food processor and add together all the ingredients for the filling and pulse a few times to mix and cut up the cranberries. You do not want it to reach the point where it becomes a puree, so take your time.
  • Spread the filling over the base, then crumble on the remaining crumb mixture, lightly pressing down so it sticks to the filling. Bake for about 30 - 35 minutes, the top crumb should take on a very light golden color. Allow it to cool completely before cutting into bars. You can use the sling to remove the bars before or after cutting.
Tried this recipe?Tag me on Instagram! @acookienameddesire #acookienameddesire

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About Amanda Powell

Baker, photographer, and sometimes world traveler behind A Cookie Named Desire. Obsessed with helping people live life sweetly with delicious food to share with the special people in your life and creating lasting memories.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lisa says

    January 11, 2022 at 9:04 pm

    Very tart! Had to add an icing to add sweetness. I won’t make these again.5 stars

    Reply
  2. Meg @ The Housewife in Training Files says

    February 20, 2015 at 3:27 pm

    These are screaming to be made! And I love binging on cookbooks...I actually love to sit with them in the afternoons and just read them! Sorry novels...cookbooks are where its at!

    Reply
  3. Thalia @ butter and brioche says

    February 19, 2015 at 11:47 pm

    Love a classic crumb bar. Especially one's that are stuffed with as much deliciousness as these cranberry and orange ones - very jealous you got to devour these Amanda!

    Reply
  4. Cate | Chez CateyLou says

    February 18, 2015 at 3:49 pm

    I am all about the extra crumb!!! I love crumb bars! These look delicious - I would sing a song about them too. Yum!

    Reply
  5. Katie @ Pearls + Girls says

    February 18, 2015 at 2:50 pm

    Haha, love the song! My oldest sometimes hums when she's eating something delicious. I love bar recipes, and this combo of orange and cranberry is a winner!

    Reply
    • Amanda says

      February 18, 2015 at 8:04 pm

      I guess you can't help but want to sing a little when you eat something you really like. I've come close to it a few times, ha!

      Reply
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Hey, I'm Amanda!

I am the baker and photographer behind A Cookie Named Desire. I'm a cookbook author, food science nerd, world traveler (sometimes) with a major weakness for cookies and cheese.

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