Ingredients
3cupsall-purpose flour,all-purpose flour
1cupgranulated sugar,200g
1tspbaking powder
¼tspsalt
1tspground cinnamon
1cupunsalted butter,(2 sticks) cold and cubed
1large egg
¼cupmilk
2tsppure vanilla extract
⅓cupalmonds,sliced, optional
4cupscranberries,fresh or frozen, do not thaw
¾cupgranulated sugar
1tbspcornstarch
2tsporange zest
1tbsporange juice,fresh
2tbsporange juice,fresh
1cupconfectioners’ sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to lift the finished bars out. Set aside.
Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and using a pastry cutter, 2 forks, or a food processor, cut in the butter until all the flour is coated and resembles pea-sized crumbles.
Whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Pour over the flour-butter mixture and gently mix together until the mixture resembles moist crumbly sand.
This makes about 6 cups of the crust-crumble mixture. Set 2 cups aside. Pour the remaining into the prepared pan and flatten down with hands or a flat spatula to form an even crust. It will be a little crumbly– that’s ok. Set aside.
Mix all of the cranberry filling ingredients together. Spread over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture all over the cranberries. Sprinkle the almonds all over top, if using.
Bake for about 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out mostly clean (with a few jammy cranberry specks). Remove from the oven and allow the bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack.
After about 1 hour, stick the whole pan in the refrigerator to help speed things up.
Whisk the icing ingredients together. Add more orange juice to thin out, if desired. Drizzle over cooled bars, then cut into squares.
Serve and enjoy.
