Easy Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

These delicious Cranberry Oatmeal Bars are slightly tart and perfectly sweet. They are the perfect holiday treat and are made using ingredients you already have at home!

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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. If you enjoy cranberries, you may also like my Cranberry Orange Chicken Thighs and Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail.

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.

🌟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. Pair these with my Spiked Vegan Hot Chocolate for the perfect holiday dessert.

🥘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 flour or gluten-free 1:1 flour.
Cranberries- use whole, fresh or frozen cranberries. Do not use dried cranberries.
Maple syrup- honey is a good substitution for maple 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 the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Cranberry oatmeal bars stacked on plates.

🔪Instructions

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 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.

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

💭Recipe FAQs

Do I have to use fresh cranberries?

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

Can I make these sweeter?

Yes! Cranberries are very tart. Adjust the sweetness of the filling to your liking depending on how much you prefer to taste the tartness of the cranberries.

Are oatmeal bars healthy?

This recipe uses simple healthy ingredients and maple syrup instead of refined white sugar. They are healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast.

Cranberry crumble bars drizzled with white chocolate.

👩🏻‍🍳Chef Tips

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.
Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting. This will allow them to stay together when you cut them into squares.
The cranberry oatmeal 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.
To freeze, 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. They will last a few months in the freezer.