Cranberry Oat Bars

With a perfect balance of sweet and tart these scrumptious cranberry oat bars are the perfect holiday treat! The addition of chopped walnuts give them a nutty crunch that brings these yummy bars over the top. These bars can be made completely gluten-free and tastes as deliciously good!

Maybe because I’m Filipino, that’s why I love anything that’s tart, tangy, and sour! You’d be surprised at how many of our local dishes often have that sour/tart component in them. This applies to both sweet and savory food!

This is why we love tart green mangoes, mouth-puckering tamarind, tangy and sharp calamansi (local lime!) and anything vinegary! In fact, our national dish – adobo is marinated in a lot of vinegar.

Our soups, particularly, from the Tagalog region where I belong, are known for their sharp and sour/tangy flavors! It would definitely help clear your sinuses!!!

This naturally explains why I am obsessed with cranberries! It reminds me so much of my favorite tart fruits from the Philippines.

I especially love desserts with hints of tartness in them! Not only do they present a delicious contrast of flavors (sweet-tart) but, overall, achieve a perfect balancing of flavors! This is what good food is all about.

Certainly, these delectable cranberry oat bars achieve all that! With each bite, your tastebuds are immediately treated to these yummy sweet-tart deliciousness! This is why these bars are more-ish – seriously, you can’t just have one.

CAN THESE CRANBERRY OAT BARS BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, certainly. In fact, I would advise to make this a day ahead to allow the bars to really set well for easier and perfect slicing.

CAN THESE CRANBERRY OAT BARS BE FROZEN?

Yes, they can be frozen. I would suggest slicing them individually first before freezing so you can simply thaw however many pieces you like or need.

CAN THESE CRANBERRY OAT BARS BE MADE GLUTEN-FREE?

Yes, I’ve made this gluten-free for my hubby. Simply omit the flour and replace with finely-ground oatmeal. I simply use my food processor to do the work!

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS for CRANBERRY OAT BARS

• Cranberries – fresh or frozen
• Sugar – white granulated
• Orange Juice – may be replaced with water
• Oats – use old-fashioned rolled oats for more texture
• All-purpose Flour – this may be substituted with finely ground oatmeal for a completely gluten-free option
• Ground Cinnamon
• Ground Nutmeg
• Salt
• Butter – use unsalted because extra salt is already added in the recipe
• Light Brown Sugar
• Egg – make sure to bring it to room temperature prior to baking
• Walnuts – may be replaced with pecans or your favorite nuts

HOW TO MAKE CRANBERRY OAT BARS

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, bring cranberries, granulated sugar, and orange juice to boil. Cook, stirring often, until cranberries pop and the mixture starts to thicken 3-4 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease a 9×13 pan with butter.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.

Using an electric mixer beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy about 3 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, add the oat mixture, and mix just until combined.

Transfer about 2/3 of the dough into the prepared 9×13 pan and press and spread evenly. Pour the cooled-down cranberry sauce all over the dough.

Mix the chopped walnuts to the remaining dough and sprinkle about a rounded teaspoon-size or less of the dough over the cranberry layer. Make sure to scatter these little pieces all over to create a beautiful contrast of colors.

Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Allow the bars to cool in the pan over a rack for at least 2 hours. Slice into 24 pieces before serving. Enjoy such a deliciously more-ish treat!

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Last updated on October 12th, 2023 at 12:03 pm