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Cranberry Crumble Bars - Browned Butter Blondie

These easy one-pan cranberry crumble bars feature a buttery shortbread crust, a bright citrus-spiked cranberry filling, and a sweet vanilla glaze. They offer the perfect balance of tart and sweet for any holiday gathering.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 16 squares
Course: Bars, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 315
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Shortbread Crust
  • 1 cup (226 g/2 sticks/8 oz.) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 1/4 cups (405 g) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Cranberry Filling
  • 2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
  • 2/3 cup (133 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
  • 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 4 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
 

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room temperature butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add the egg and 2 teaspoons of vanilla, mixing until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix just until the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
  5. Reserve approximately 2 cups of the dough for the crumble topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared 8x8 pan.
  6. Bake the crust for 15 minutes, or until the edges are slightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
  7. While the crust cools, prepare the filling by mixing the cranberries, 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in a large bowl. Pour this mixture over the pre-baked crust.
  8. Crumble the reserved 2 cups of dough over the cranberry filling in small, flat pieces, leaving gaps for the fruit to show through.
  9. Bake for 45 minutes. Cover the pan with foil during the last 10-15 minutes if the top is browning too quickly. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  10. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla for the glaze. Drizzle over the cooled bars before slicing into 16 squares.

Notes

Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. These bars can be frozen without the glaze; simply defrost at room temperature and add fresh glaze before serving.