This is a game-changer, folks. Heat it up and serve with ice cream or keep it cool and cut into bars for a party. Either way is delicious. My mom passed this Cranberry Oat Bars recipe on to me and I’ve used it countless times.
One of my favorite things about it is how EASY they are to make, because Lord knows mid-week, when I forget I am supposed to take something sweet to a party the following night, I can’t whip up a Great British Baking Show recipe on the spot. And while Pinterest is a weekly go-to for me, I often have to do some digging to find something at my skill level J Hence, Cranberry Oat Bars to the rescue.
Ready to start?
Cranberry Oat Bars Recipe
Serves: 15
Pan: 11”x7” dish
Oven: 325°F
I hate when I get halfway into the recipe and have to pull out bowls and other utensils from the cabinets, so as a heads up, you’ll at least need two medium-sized mixing bowls, a whisk, your 11”x7” pan (greased), a rack for cooling at the end (optional), and some River music on in the background (not optional) 😉
Crust & Topping Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. packed light brown sugar
¼ t. salt
¼ t. baking soda
¼ t. ground cinnamon
6 T. butter, melted
3 T. orange juice
Filling Ingredients:
¾ c. sour cream
6 oz. bag of Craisins / dried cranberries
½ c. sugar
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. vanilla extract
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
½ t. grated orange rind
Instructions:
1. Prepare the crust and topping: Combine the first 6 ingredients in one bowl (flour, oats, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon). Stir well with a whisk until combined. Drizzle the melted butter and orange juice over the dry mixture and stir until moistened. The final product will be crumbly!
2. Divide the mixture: I usually take a spoon and divide the oat mixture as evenly in the bowl as possible, kind of “slicing” it in half.
3. Make the crust: Take one half of the oat mixture and press it into the bottom of your greased 11”x7” pan. It should just cover the bottom and won’t be very thick. Try to fill in all the gaps if you can, but a few won’t hurt! Set the bowl with your other half of the crumbly oat mixture aside for the topping.
4. Make the cranberry filling: In your other bowl, combine all your filling ingredients and stir well.
5. Assemble: Spread the cranberry filling evenly over the crust in your pan. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture on top*.
6. Bake: Bake at 325°F for 40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Cool completely on a wire rack when finished. I would wait until the pan feels cool if cutting into bars**.
*I start by sprinkling a light layer, using my fingers to break it apart as it falls on the top. Then I come back with the rest to fill in the gaps. That way you’re guaranteed to have some on every bite!
** To get a clean cut, wet your knife with water prior to cutting. It can help make your cranberry oat bars look nice and neat!
Enjoy! Please let me know how it worked out for you and leave some feedback in the comments below!
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