Ingredients:

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) Unsalted Butter
  • 1 ¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 cup Rolled Oats (Old-Fashioned)
  • ¾ cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
  • ¼ cup Granulated Sugar (for dough)
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Fine Sea Salt
  • 3 cups Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
  • ½ cup Granulated Sugar (for filling)
  • 2 tablespoons Water or Orange Juice
  • 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (Cornflour)
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cardamom (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon Lemon Zest (freshly grated)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides to act as a sling.
  2. Brown the Butter: Place the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until the foam subsides and brown milk solids form at the bottom, creating a nutty aroma. Immediately pour the hot butter (including the browned solids) into a large mixing bowl and let it cool for 5-10 minutes.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Form the Dough: Pour the warm, browned butter into the dry ingredients. Mix with a fork or spatula until large, moist clumps form and the mixture is combined, achieving a shaggy, sandy dough. Do not overmix.
  5. Chill: Place the dough mixture in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. This helps the crumble hold its shape.
  6. Prepare the Filling: While the dough is chilling, combine the cranberries, sugar, water/orange juice, cornstarch, cardamom, and lemon zest in a medium bowl. Stir gently until the cornstarch coats the berries evenly.
  7. Create the Base: Remove the chilled dough. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the mixture for the topping. Press the remaining dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan, making a firm, even crust.
  8. Assembly and Bake: Pour the cranberry filling evenly over the crust. Sprinkle the reserved 1 ½ cups of dough mixture loosely and evenly over the filling. Do not press the topping down.
  9. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or until the topping is deeply golden brown, the crust edges are set, and the filling is bubbling thickly.
  10. Cool and Slice: Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow the bars to cool completely to room temperature (about 2 hours). Once cooled, lift the bars out using the parchment paper sling and cut them into 16 even squares.