Easy Cranberry Oatmeal Bars (+ Crumb Topping)

These Easy Cranberry Oatmeal Crumble Bars are slightly tart and perfectly sweet. They make the best dessert and sweet treat for breakfast!

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Cranberry oatmeal crumble bars stacked on plates.

I love using cranberries, especially during the holiday season, in both sweet and savory recipes. They add such a delicious tart flavor to any recipe and pair so well with sweeteners.

This cranberry oatmeal bar recipe was inspired by my Healthy Raspberry Oatmeal Bars. They are slightly chewy, soft and full of delicious oat crumbles. These crumble bars are perfect for a grab 'n' go breakfast or treat after dinner.

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Why You'll Love this Recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions
Equipment
Instructions
FAQs
Top tip
Similar Recipes
Recipe

Why You'll Love this Recipe

Simple recipe. This recipe requires minimal equipment and minimal prep time.
Pantry staples. You most likely already have all of the ingredients on hand in your pantry. The only thing you may need is cranberries.
Family-friendly. Kids and adults alike will love these crumble bars.
Vegan and gluten-free friendly. This recipe is vegan and can easily be made gluten-free if you use GF flour or oat flour and GF oats.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Oats- rolled oats are best for these bars. However, you can use quick cook oats if that is all you have.
Flour- you can use all-purpose, oat or GF 1:1 flour.
Cranberries- whole, fresh or frozen cranberries.
Maple syrup- honey is a good substitution for the syrup.
White chocolate- the recipe calls for a drizzle of melted white chocolate. This is optional and something you may not want to add if you will be eating these for breakfast.

See the recipe card below for all ingredients and quantities.

Cranberry oat bars drizzled with white chocolate.

Equipment

Grab what you need for this recipe:

2 large bowls
Wooden spoon or spatula
Square baking pan
Measuring spoons needed: ¼ teaspoon, 1 teaspoon 1 tablespoon, ⅓ cup, ½ cup and 1 cup.

Cranberry oatmeal bars stacked on plates.

Instructions

How to make cranberry oat bars:

Make the crumble. Mix all of the crumble ingredients in a bowl and add to the bottom of the pan. Make sure to leave some in the bowl for the crumb topping.

Mix the filling. In a bowl, add the cranberries, maple syrup and lemon juice. Mix to combine and pour on top of the crust. Sprinkle with the crumb topping and bake until slightly golden brown.

Serve. Drizzle with melted white chocolate, if desired and enjoy a bar with a cup of coffee or tea.

Cranberry crumble bars drizzled with white chocolate on a piece of wax paper.

FAQs

Do I have to use fresh cranberries?

No- you can also use frozen cranberries. However, the cranberries should be unsweetened and not dried. If you use frozen cranberries, there is no need to thaw them in advance.

How long can I store the oatmeal crumble bars?

The bars can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. You can eat the bars straight from the fridge or heat them for 30 seconds in the microwave.

Can I freeze the cranberry oat bars?

Yes! The bars can be frozen for 2-3 months. Just be sure to use a freezer-safe container or bag to avoid freezer burn. Thaw the bars in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Cranberry crumble bars drizzled with white chocolate.

Top tip

Be sure to use a pan that makes it easy to remove the bars. You can grease it very well with cooking spray and/or line it with parchment paper. Parchment paper makes it really easy to lift the crumble bars out of the pan.