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5 from 13 votes

Cranberry Lemon Bars

Soft, flavorful Cranberry Lemon Bars made with a simple oatmeal crumble. They're filled with fresh tasting cranberry sauce. It's a quick easy recipe made without a mixer!
Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 187kcal
Author: Natalie

Ingredients

Cranberry Sauce

  • cup granulated sugar
  • cup water
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 cups cranberries
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • tablespoons lemon juice
  • 3 teaspoons lemon zest

Crust and Topping

  • ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1⅓ cups old fashioned oats or quick-cooking oats (not instant)
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger optional
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • cup light brown sugar packed
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing the pan

Instructions

Cranberry Sauce

  • Place the water, lemon juice, cinnamon stick and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. 
  • Add the cranberries and cornstarch and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Stir constantly until thickened and most of the cranberries have burst. Remove from heat.
  • Stir in the zest. Remove the cinnamon stick. Set aside to cool slightly.

Crust and topping

  • Preheat oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Butter an 8-inch square pan. Line the pan with a large strip of parchment paper. Leave an overhang on both sides of the parchment paper.
  • In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking powder.
  • Add the cubed butter. Stir or mix together with your hands.
  • Spoon half of the mixture into the pan. Press it firmly in the bottom of the pan.
  • Spread the cranberry sauce over the crisp layer. Sprinkle the remainder of the crisp topping over the cranberry layer. Press lightly to make sure it's in place.
  • Bake 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
  • Place the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely, for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes

Icing: Use the lemon icing from my Blueberry Blondies recipe if you'd like to top them with icing. 
Powdered sugar: Dust bars with powdered sugar before serving if you like.
Storage: Store these cranberry lemon bars in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for 5-6 days. Freeze leftover bars in an airtight for up to 2 months. Defrost in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
Nutritional Information: The nutrition information provided is an estimate. The calorie accuracy is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bar | Calories: 187kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 227IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1mg