Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Slightly chewy with a sweetly tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar and oatmeal crumbs.

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Sometimes, not often, but sometimes desserts are just too overpoweringly sweet. Especially during the times of the year when we are surrounded by so many rich indulgent foods. Desserts with cranberries are the perfect answer to that.

I can’t be the only one feeling that way. I know, because if I make a dessert with cranberries to take to a gathering, it guaranteed that I will come home with an empty pan. I have a feeling that these easy cranberry oatmeal bars with fresh cranberries will meet a similar fate.

Cranberry oat bars loaded with cranberries and chopped apples bring just the right amount of sweetness to any dessert or snack time. Because they have fruit and oatmeal I would argue they could be considered for breakfast as well.

The layer of fruit between the crust and easy crumb topping is thickened by the cranberries and cornstarch and sweetened by the apples with a touch of sugar. The crust is a buttery oatmeal shortbread pressed firmly into the pan.

The topping is the remainder of the crust ingredients, just crumbled and loosely spread over the fruit. When baked the topping will brown and the cranberry and apples will bubble and smell amazing.

To serve, you can even top the bars with Brown Sugar Ice Cream or Eggnog Ice Cream for an unforgettable holiday dessert.

Cranberry Desserts

Cranberries are so delicious and able to be used in so many things from sweet to savory. It amazes me how well they work regardless of being frozen or fresh.

With over 3,000 comments and 5-star reviews, the Cranberry Christmas Cake is hands down one of the favorite cakes on this website. Cranberry Christmas Cake is an instant favorite every single time someone new tastes it.

Since cranberries are usually only found in stores around the holidays I always buy extra and stash them in the freezer. And by extra, I mean 10+ bags of them. (If you think I’m kidding, you haven’t seen my freezer.)

To freeze them simply put the entire bag into the freezer. No washing, no freezing them on a sheet pan, nothing. They don’t clump, they freeze beautifully. When you are ready to use them just dump out the quantity you need for the recipe.

oatmeal bar crust in parchment lined pan

Oatmeal Cranberry Bars

Fruit Filling Ingredients

cranberries
apples
granulated sugar
cornstarch
fresh lemon juice

Crust Ingredients

butter
light brown sugar
egg
vanilla
flour
oatmeal
cinnamon
ground nutmeg
kosher salt

Cranberry oatmeal bars on white plate with fork

Apple Cranberry Dessert

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk smooth. Add the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a fork to combine until crumbly.
Press half of this mixture into a buttered or parchment-lined 9×13 pan. Pour the fruit mixture over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.
Bake for 30-36 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Serve warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings.

Cranberry oatmeal bars with ice cream on top

Best Cranberry Desserts

Cranberry Christmas Cookies are filled with an abundance of fresh tart cranberries balanced by a buttery sweet cookie. This is not a classically crisp or chewy cookie. I created this cookie specifically to mimic everyone’s favorite Cranberry Christmas Cake.

Rich chocolate brownies generously filled with tart cranberries and crunchy pecans make these Cranberry Pecan Brownies one everyone asks for.

This Cranberry Apple Pie is filled with fresh apples and cranberries and topped with streusel, making this classic crumb pie wonderfully festive for a delicious holiday dessert. And this Christmas tart is another treat made with fresh cranberries and apples tossed with brown sugar and spices in a flaky buttery crust.

From the crunch of the sugar crust on the bottom to the juicy cranberries to the flaky cake layer on top; Nantucket Christmas Cranberry Pie is cranberry dessert heaven.

Cranberry Apple Oatmeal Bars on serving board

Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

Slightly chewy with the sweet-tart combination, cranberry oatmeal bars are full of cranberries and apples topped with brown sugar oatmeal crisp.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings

Calories 294kcal

Ingredients

Fruit Filling Ingredients

2 cups cranberries
3 medium apples peeled and finely diced about 2½ cups worth
½ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Crust Ingredients

1 cup butter melted
1 cup light brown sugar packed
1 egg
1½ teaspoons vanilla
2¼ cups flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the cranberries, apples, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Stir to combine. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon or whisk until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk smooth. Add the flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, and salt. Stir with a fork to combine until crumbly.
Press half of this mixture into a buttered or parchment-lined 9×13 pan. Pour the fruit mixture over the bottom crust and then sprinkle the rest of the dry mixture on top.
Bake for 30-36 minutes, until the crust turns golden brown. Serve warm from the oven or let cool completely and slice into servings.