Need a quick breakfast solution? These cranberry crumble bars are perfect to grab on your way out the door. Prepare them quickly and easily.
Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe
We all have those days where we wake up late or are running out the door without breakfast. We all know breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but many of us run out without eating it.
Preparing these cranberry crumble bars ahead of time allows you a quick and easy semi-nutritional breakfast option! But, these bars also make for fabulous snacks as well.
Made with fresh or frozen cranberries and chopped walnuts, this recipe adds a kick of vitamin C and protein to get your day going. Add in white chocolate chips, brown sugar, and vanilla and it becomes a delectable treat your taste buds can’t get enough of.
These cranberry crumble bars are delicious, but not necessarily nutritious.
Why You’ll Love this Cranberry Bars Recipe:
- They are versatile. I use them as a quick breakfast, but these bars make great after school snacks or dinner desserts as well.
- Simple ingredients. I don’t know about you, but I hate searching for ingredients I have never even heard of. This recipe requires simple ingredients you can easily find at any grocery store.
- Simply delicious. The combination of sweet chocolate chips and tart cranberry come together making these bars simply delicious.
How to Make Homemade Cranberry Bars
Be sure to see the recipe card below for full ingredients & instructions!
- In a mixing bowl, mix together the butter and brown sugar until it is light and fluffy.
- Next, add the egg yolks and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Whisk well.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt together.
- Add your flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir until it forms a crumbly dough.
- Divide your dough into thirds, and spray non-stick spray on your 9×13-inch pan.
- Spread ⅔ of the dough in the bottom of the 9×13-inch pan.
- Bake the dough that is in the pan for 25 minutes.
- In the remaining dough, fold in the chocolate chips and the nuts.
- Take out the dough from the oven when done, and spread an entire bag of cranberries over the dough to the edges.
- Put approximately 1-inch pieces of the remaining dough mixture on top of the baked dough and cranberries.
- Place the pan back into the oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
- Pull the pan out and cover it loosely with aluminum foil, and then continue to bake it for an additional 10 minutes.
The base of the bars is going to be the dough that you make. It becomes kind of a cookie on the bottom. Then, you add your chocolatey goodness, nuts, and cranberries for a delicious flavor.
Absolutely! In fact, for easy measurements, I would recommend using frozen cranberries as you can just use one 12-ounce bag. However, your recipe will have more flavor if you use fresh cranberries. Keep in mind that fresh is always better!
Store cranberry bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These bars are great cold or reheated for 30 seconds in the microwave and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Roll out the dough before dividing it. To get better accuracy, roll out the dough evenly and cut it into 3 parts.
- Soften the butter naturally. Always let the butter sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour. It doesn’t allow the dough to work as well if you melt it in the microwave.
- You can use any chocolate chips. You don’t have to use just white chocolate chips. In fact, I like regular chocolate chips just as well.
- Do not use baking soda or powder. This recipe isn’t intended to have any baking soda or baking powder.Cook thoroughly. When it is done, the top should be golden brown and the cranberries should be bubbly.
Whether you are looking for a simple breakfast option or want a quick afternoon snack, these cranberry crumble bars are sweet, tart, and absolutely delicious.
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Cranberry Crumble Bars Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ cups salted butter 339 grams, room temperature (3 sticks)
- 1½ cups brown sugar 320 grams
- 2 large egg yolks 28 grams
- 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 6 grams
- 3 cups all-purpose flour 360 grams
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips 170 grams
- 1 cup chopped walnuts 113 grams
- 12 ounces cranberries 340 grams, fresh or frozen
Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.1½ cups salted butter, 1½ cups brown sugar
- Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, beating to combine.2 large egg yolks, 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour and salt together.3 cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until combined. The dough will be slightly crumbly.
- Divide the dough into thirds.
- Spread ⅔ of the dough in the bottom of the prepared 9×13-inch pan. Press until the dough lays flat and even along the sides. Bake for 25 minutes.
- While the dough bakes, fold the chocolate chips and nuts into the remaining ⅓ of the dough.1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup chopped walnuts
- Take the pan out of the oven and evenly spread a whole bag of cranberries over the dough, to the edges.12 ounces cranberries
- Quickly and evenly, put approximately 1-inch pieces of the remaining dough mixture on top of the baked dough and cranberries.
- Put the pan back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.
- Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and continue baking for another approximately 10 minutes, until it’s cooked through. The top should be golden brown and the cranberries should be bubbly.
- Let the bars cool for a few minutes before cutting. The bars can be served warm or cold.
Notes
- This recipe isn’t intended to have any baking soda or baking powder.
- This cranberry bar has a similar texture to a cookie base with a crumbly top. It’s sooo delicious, but definitely not healthy!
- To get better accuracy, roll out the dough evenly and cut it into 3 parts.
- Always let the butter sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour. It doesn’t allow the dough to work as well if you melt it in the microwave.
- You don’t have to use just white chocolate chips. In fact, I like regular chocolate chips just as well.
- When it is done, the top should be golden brown and the cranberries should be bubbly.
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