Description
Cranberry, Orange & Pecan Oatmeal Bars blend sweet-tart fruit with nutty crunch in a wholesome dessert. Homemade goodness satisfies with layers of seasonal ingredients you’ll savor to the last delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 cups (150 g) old-fashioned oats
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120 g) unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) honey or maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (120 g) dried cranberries
- ½ cup (60 g) chopped pecans
- Zest of 1 orange
- ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
- 12 tbsps (180 ml) fresh orange juice
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line an 8×8-inch baking dish with parchment paper for effortless extraction.
- Dry Mixture Creation: Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, ensuring thorough blending of dry ingredients.
- Wet Ingredient Fusion: Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, honey, egg, vanilla extract, and orange zest until achieving a harmonious, smooth consistency.
- Batter Assembly: Gently fold wet and dry mixtures together, then delicately fold in dried cranberries and chopped pecans, maintaining a light touch to prevent overmixing.
- Pan Distribution: Evenly spread the batter across the prepared baking dish, creating a uniform layer that promises consistent baking and texture.
- Baking Process: Bake for 20-25 minutes, monitoring for golden-brown edges and confirming doneness with a clean toothpick test.
- Cooling and Finishing: Allow bars to cool completely in the pan, then optionally drizzle with a glaze made from powdered sugar and orange juice.
- Serving Preparation: Once fully cooled, slice into precise squares and store in an airtight container, maintaining freshness for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Measure Ingredients Precisely: Use standard measuring cups and spoons to ensure ingredient ratios remain consistent, which directly impacts texture and flavor balance.
- Control Moisture Carefully: Avoid overmixing batter to prevent dense, tough bars; mix just until ingredients combine to maintain a tender, soft crumb.
- Customize Nut Alternatives: Swap pecans with walnuts or almonds for different flavor profiles, ensuring similar chopped sizes for even distribution throughout the batter.
- Enhance Dietary Adaptations: Replace wheat flour with gluten-free flour blend, use coconut oil instead of butter, and select maple syrup as a honey substitute for alternative dietary needs.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg