When it comes to baking, I look for recipes that don’t require fuss. I just don’t enjoy baking as much as cooking. You know those recipes that you just mix everything together and put into the oven? That’s my kinda baking. These Cranberry Orange Bars are delightful and obviously very easy:)

I use real cranberries with this recipe, the reason being is that I don’t like any fruit that comes from a can. Sorry. It’s overly sweet and honestly, there’s so much sugar in it you can’t tell what the heck you’re eating. Therefore, I like to use fresh cranberries giving the bars the perfect amount of acidity. It’s a quick saute in a pan and boom. You’ve got yourself jammy, sticky cranberries.

INGREDIENTS FOR CRANBERRY ORANGE OAT BARS

• 2 tsp of oil for pan
• 1 medium orange for juice and zest
• 12 oz bag of cranberries
• 1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup (If you like things more on the sweet side then use 1/2 cup of maple syrup. You can add in 1/4 cup, taste the mixture and if you want it more sweet, add in more.)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup four
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 8 Tablespoon of butter cut up into cubes/chunks
• 2 tsp oil
• 2 tsp cinnamon (or more if you like it ‘cinnamony’)
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves (optional)

PROCESS

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Line a 9×9 or 8x6x2 pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
• Heat your oil up in a pan, medium heat.
• Add your cranberries, maple syrup, vanilla, zest, and then the juice from the orange. Stir until everything is well combined.
• Let that sit on medium-high heat stirring occasionally for about 6-7 minutes until jammy and sticky. There should be little to no liquid.

In a medium-size mixing bowl, add your oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves, and oil, mix until combined. Add in your chunks of butter (I used vegan butter and it worked great.) Use your hands to break up the butter and work into the mixture until it becomes ‘dough-like’ You should be able to form it without it crumbling.

Place half of your flour-oat mixture onto your parchment-lined pan and flatten it out with your hands. Pour your cranberry mixture on top, and spread it evenly. The remainder of the flour mixture now goes right on top of the cranberry layer, essentially covering most of the cranberry.

Place uncovered into a 350-degree oven for about 40-50 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy and the cranberry is kind of oozing, bubbling slightly. Let it cool before cutting into squares.

Enjoy your cranberry Orange Oat Bars with a cup of coffee or tea.