Take holiday leftovers to a whole new level with these Cranberry Crumble Bars. A shortbread crust sits under a layer of tangy homemade cranberry sauce and a buttery crumble topping.
Preparation:
To cook:
Level: Easy
Serves: 16
Ingredients
- FOR THE CRANBERRY SAUCE:
- ⅓ cups Sugar
- ⅓ cups Water
- 2 cups (heaping) Fresh cranberries
- 2 tablespoons Maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Bourbon (optional but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon Orange zest
- ¾ teaspoons Ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Grounded ginger
- 1 pinch Sea salt
- FOR THE DOUGH:
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- ¾ cups Whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Grounded ginger
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- 10 tablespoons Grass-fed, softened butter, and more for greasing
- ½ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 whole Pasture egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- FOR THE CRUMBLE:
- ¼ cups All purpose flour
- ¼ cups Whole wheat flour
- ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons Cold butter in cubes
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
Preparation
For the cranberry sauce:
In a small saucepan over low heat, combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water until sugar is dissolved. Add the cranberries and stir every minute or so as they soften and release their juices. Once they have all softened and taken on a dark pink-red color, gently stir in the maple syrup, bourbon, orange zest, spices and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce the heat to very low. Leave this for another 4-5 minutes to allow the juices to cook, then transfer the sauce to a bowl to cool completely.
For the dough:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish with butter.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 10 tablespoons softened butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or other sugar, if using) until light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla extract and egg and beat again until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Put aside.
Combine the dry ingredients for the crust in a bowl and slowly, working in batches, add the wet dry ingredients and mix after each addition using a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix – the crust should be tender and slightly crumbly, and overmixing the batter will make the crust harder.
Press crust into greased baking dish into an even layer and bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until set in center and lightly browned around edges.
While the crust is baking, prepare the crumble.
For the crumble:
In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Use your hands to work the cold cubed butter into the dry ingredients as you would for pie crust. The butter should become pea-sized and completely coated in the dry ingredients, resulting in a crumbly texture. Put aside.
Spread cranberry sauce over crust in an even layer all the way to edges. Then sprinkle the crumble on top, leaving some of the cranberry sauce exposed in some places. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until the cranberry sauce is almost set. Remove from the oven when the crumble is golden around the edges and let the bars cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Refrigerate or freeze for longer shelf life and better freshness. Enjoy!
