These cranberry hazelnut crumb bars are a quick, throw-together recipe perfect for using up impulse purchases or whatever you have in the fridge. They’re simple to make, wonderfully flavorful, and travel well—ideal for potlucks or a last-minute addition to a holiday spread.
This version grew out of a little online searching and some improvisation. I had fresh cranberries on hand but didn’t want to make a full pie or an upside-down cake, so crumb bars felt right. A Betty Crocker crumb-bar recipe suggested almond meal, and since cranberry and hazelnut pair so well, I swapped in hazelnut meal to use up a bit of the stash in my freezer. The result is a lovely balance of tart and sweet with buttery, crumbly crust and topping framing a sticky cranberry filling.
A friend described these bars as the perfect tart-and-sweet combo. They’re rich and buttery, with satisfying textural contrast: a crumbly base and topping surround a jammy cranberry layer. They come together quickly and can be made ahead—chilling overnight helps them slice cleanly—so they’re a convenient, crowd-pleasing dessert.
Cranberry Hazelnut Crumb Bars
Simple to make and decadently delicious, these autumnal bars are an easy alternative to a pie or tart. This recipe is adapted from Betty Crocker Kitchens.
Dessert
cranberry, cranberry bars, cranberry crumb bars, cranberry hazelnut crumb bars, crumb bars, hazelnut
Ingredients
Crust/Topping
-
150 g
all-purpose flour -
100 g
granulated sugar -
30 g
hazelnut meal or finely ground hazelnuts -
1/2
tsp
baking powder -
1/8
tsp
salt -
1/2
cup (112 g)
cold unsalted butter -
30
g
lightly beaten egg (about 1/2 one large egg) -
pinch
ground cinnamon
Filling
-
2
heaping cups
fresh cranberries -
2
tsp
orange juice
(I used a blood orange) -
100
g
granulated sugar -
2
tsp
cornstarch -
1/2
tsp
vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
-
Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, using two overlapping pieces to form a sling for easy removal.
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 100 g sugar, hazelnut meal, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs, with the largest butter pieces about the size of small peas. Drizzle in the beaten egg and mix until the dough begins to clump; it should still be quite crumbly.
-
Press half of the crumb mixture firmly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Add the pinch of cinnamon to the remaining crumb mixture and set it aside.
-
In a separate bowl, combine the cranberries, 100 g sugar, orange juice, cornstarch, and vanilla. Spread the cranberry mixture evenly over the pressed crust, then scatter the reserved crumb mixture over the top, leaving clumps for a rustic texture.
-
Bake for about 50 minutes, until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling in spots.
-
Let the bars cool to room temperature in the pan, then cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight or until fully set. Use the parchment sling to lift the slab from the pan and cut into 12 or 16 bars.