These tart Cranberry Orange Bars are perfect for the holidays! Made with fresh cranberries and oranges over a vanilla cookie crust. These bars are perfect when topped with walnuts, orange zest and a vanilla icing drizzle.
This recipe was created for Dixie Crystals by BigBear’sWife, post and words written are 100% mine as always.
If you love fresh cranberries, you’re going to love these fresh cranberry and orange bars! They’re so beautiful and we love them with a sugar drizzle on top!
Ingredients For Orange Cranberry Bars:
Crust:
- vanilla wafers
- melted butter, (unsalted butter)
Filling:
- fresh cranberries, washed/rinsed
- oranges
- white sugar
- cornstarch
- ground nutmeg
- vanilla extract
- chopped walnuts (optional)
Optional Drizzle:
- powdered sugar
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
EXACT INGREDIENT AMOUNTS BELOW
What Do These Cranberry Bars Taste Like?
Well, they taste like cranberry, fresh cranberries. These bars are going to be slightly tart and sour just like cranberries. However if you love fresh cranberries, you’re going to love this recipe!
We let a panel of six people taste test the final batch, the 3 that LOVED cranberry, LOVED the bars, the 3 that did not LOVE cranberry, found the bars to be too tart.
Can I Use Frozen Cranberries Instead?
You can use frozen (whole) cranberries for this recipe but do not use dried cranberries.
How To Make Orange Cranberry Bars:
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Make Crust according to the recipe in the link below and let it cool.
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For the filling, toss cranberries into a food processor or super high power blender.
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Zest 2 oranges and then set the zest aside.
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Peel and deseed oranges.
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Toss orange slices into food processor and blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until blended completely.
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Blend on high for 2-3 minutes or until blended completely.
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In a medium saucepan add cranberry mixture, white sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and vanilla extract.
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Bring to a boil and then reduce to a low simmer for 15 minutes.
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Raise oven temp from 350F to 425F.
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Pour cranberry mixture on top of crust. Bake for 25 minutes.
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Remove from oven and sprinkle walnuts on while hot.
Let cool completely, cut into bars and sprinkle with orange zest.
If you want to add a sweet drizzle to these bars, mix together some powdered sugar and and heavy cream (or milk) to make a pourable sauce then then drizzle that over the cut bars.
You could also make a cream cheese glaze for them or melt some white chocolate chips to drizzle on top.
More Cranberry Recipes recipes:
More Dessert Recipes recipes:
Orange Cranberry Bars
Cranberry Orange Bars
These tart Cranberry Orange Bars are perfect for the holidays! Made with fresh cranberries and oranges over a vanilla cookie crust. These bars are perfect when topped with walnuts, orange zest and a vanilla icing drizzle.
Ingredients
Crust:
- 11 ounce box vanilla wafers
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted & melted
Filling:
- 3 cups fresh cranberries, washed/rinsed
- 2 large oranges
- 2 1/2 cup white Granulated Sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
Optional Drizzle:
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F.
Add vanilla wafers and melted butter to a food processor and pulse until cookies are fine crumbs.
Press cookie crumbs into bottom of 9x13 pan that has been lined with parchment paper.
Bake crust for 10 minutes.
Remove and let cool.
Zest both oranges and set zest to the side.
Peel oranges and remove seeds. Discard peel and seeds.
Add cranberries and orange slices to a food processor.
Process/Blend 3-4 minutes.
In a medium saucepan add cranberry mixture, white sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg and vanilla extract.
Stir. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.
Simmer, stirring occasionally for 15 minutes.
Raise oven temperature to 425F.
Pour cranberry mixture on top of crust.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle walnuts on while hot.
Let cool completely, cut into bars and sprinkle with orange zest.
Optional Drizzle:
Add powdered sugar to bowl, mix with heavy cream until thick but pourable.
Drizzle over cooled, cut bars.
If you make this recipe, leave me a comment or snap a picture and share it on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter with the hashtag #bigbearswife — I love to see what you’re cooking from the blog!
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