Browned butter is the answer for anything and everything, especially when paired with cranberry. These bars have three parts: a rich orange browned butter shortbread base, a tart cranberry and jam filling, and a generous topping of Brown Sugar Oat Streusel. How can you not bake these this season? For more of Amy Ho’s (of the blog Constellation Inspiration) recipes, look to our Holiday Cookies Special Issue with feedfeed, out now!
Browned Butter Cranberry Orange Bars with Brown Sugar Oat Streusel
Makes 15 to 18
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (9 grams) orange zest
- 2 teaspoons (8 grams) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt
- 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1½ cups (480 grams) strawberry preserves
- 1 cup (170 grams) fresh cranberries, chopped
- Brown Sugar Oat Streusel (recipe below)
- Garnish: confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Line a 13x9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until butter turns a medium-brown color and has a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Pour browned butter into a bowl; set aside.
- In a small bowl, rub together granulated sugar and zest until fragrant.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat browned butter, sugar mixture, vanilla, and salt at medium speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, beating until combined. Press mixture into bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Increase oven temperature to 350°F (180°C). Spread preserves onto warm crust. Dot preserves with cranberries, and sprinkle with Brown Sugar Oat Streusel.
- Bake until streusel is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 35 minutes more. Let cool at room temperature for at least 20 minutes. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Using excess parchment as handles, remove from pan, and cut into bars. Dust with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Brown Sugar Oat Streusel
Makes about 2 cups
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups (140 grams) old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup (63 grams) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (73 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113 grams) cold unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together oats, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Using a pastry blender, cut in cold butter until mixture is crumbly.
[…] Browned Butter Cranberry Orange Bars with Brown Sugar Oat Streusel (yes, longest name ever) are so good, though I found them better […]