Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter, cut into large cubes
  • 2 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup Granulated Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 3 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
  • 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • 1 tablespoon Orange Zest
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Orange Juice
  • 2 tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions:

  1. Brown the Butter: Melt the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the milk solids settle, brown, and smell nutty (about 5-7 minutes). Remove from heat immediately and pour into a heatproof bowl. Allow the browned butter to cool until it is no longer hot, but still liquid (about 10-15 minutes).
  2. Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a 9x13 inch metal baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the long sides.
  3. Make the Crumble Dough: Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl. Pour the cooled brown butter and vanilla extract into the dry mixture. Stir until just combined and crumbly. Do not overmix.
  4. Reserve and Form Crust: Measure and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the crumble mixture for the topping. Pour the remaining mixture into the prepared pan and press firmly and evenly into the base.
  5. Chill: Place the pan with the crust into the freezer or refrigerator for 30 minutes. This is crucial for structure.
  6. Prepare Filling: In a separate medium bowl, toss the cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, orange juice, and cinnamon until the cranberries are evenly coated.
  7. Pre-Bake and Assemble: Bake the chilled crust for 15 minutes until set. Remove the pan from the oven, spread the cranberry filling evenly over the partially baked crust, and scatter the reserved 1 1/2 cups of crumble mixture evenly over the top.
  8. Final Bake and Cool: Return the bars to the oven and bake for an additional 30–35 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbling softly. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature (2-3 hours minimum) before cutting into 16 bars.