Buttery crumb bars bursting with bright orange flavor companies sweet and tart cranberry filling for the best cranberry orange bars you will ever try!
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.
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.
- Add the dry ingredients for the crumb into a food processor.
- Pulse until combined.
- Add in the butter a few tablespoons at a time, pulsing one or two times to gently incorporate.
- Add in the egg and orange juice once the butter is all added and pulse slightly to combine.
- Spread half the mixture into a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan and press down into an even layer. Set aside the remaining mixture.
- Wipe down the food processor and add everything for the filling together and pulse to chop well.
- Pour the filling over the crumb base, then crumble the remaining crumb mixture over top.
- Bake until the crumbs are a light golden brown. Cool completely before serving.
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.
Related recipes
Recipe Card
Cranberry Orange Crumb Bars
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
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.
Nutmeg Nanny says
Cranberry and orange are my favorite flavor combination! These bars are so pretty!
Ashley | The Recipe Rebel says
There's always room for more cranberry and orange. I can totally see my daughter making up a song about them! Love!
Christina @ Bake with Christina says
Those bars look SO yummy! The colors look amazing and I bet they taste delicious! 🙂
Amanda says
They were the best! Deb really knows how to make an awesome crumb bar!
Amanda says
I could never be tired of cranberry and orange! These bars look delicious!!!
Amanda says
Thank you!!
Karissa | Sweet as a Cookie says
I've heard that good food is supposed to make you sing and dance so it sounds like this recipe is definitely amazing in your daughters eyes. These bars sound amazing! I'll have to give them a try!
Traci | Vanilla And Bean says
I'm still on board with cranberry orange... I was beginning to wonder if anyone else was! So happy to see these delicious bars! I have Deb's book and everything I've made from it has been delicious! I've not made these however, but neeeeed to posthaste! Your daughters song sounds lovely... a motivator to make these again and again! Thank you, Amanda!!
Amanda says
Yeah, I kind of feel like as soon as the holiday rush weans down, cranberry and orange gets ignored. I think it should be around much longer! I am sow ith you, I kind of want to just go through the entire book and make everything!
amanda @ fake ginger says
I've been buying blogger cookbooks like mad recently, too. It's just so fun!
These look so good! Cranberry orange is my favorite combo!
Amanda says
I know, I am obsessed with blogger cookbooks. So many of them have created such wonderful resources online and in their books. I only wish to be half as talented as some of them.
Melanie | Melanie Makes says
Love the looks of these bars - so pretty!
Amanda says
Thank you so much!
Jennifer | Bake or Break says
Cranberry and orange is such a great flavor combo! And I'm always excited about a crumb topping!
Amanda says
Crumb topping always makes things better, doesn't it?
Julie @ Willow Bird Baking says
I would TOTALLY sing for these gorgeous bars. And I'll never be over cranberry and orange. NEVER.
Jameson Fink says
I am not over now, nor will I ever be, cranberry/orange. Bring it on!
Amanda says
Yes! Cranberry & orange for life!
Kimberly Henricks says
I am definitely NOT over cranberry and orange ... it's one of my favorite flavor combinations ... and I go to it a lot! And I am definitely pinning your gorgeous crumb bars for later because of it!
Amanda says
Thank you so much for pinning! I agree, cranberry and orange rocks!
Michelle@Healthiersteps says
These crumb bars look absolutely delicious and I love the combination of cranberries and orange!
Amanda says
Thank you! Cranberry and orange is one of my favorite classic flavor combos!
Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious says
Those would last about a minute at my house. I would eat them for breakfast, too!
pam (sidewalk shoes) says
These sound wonderful!