I had a request for these earlier this year, but since it was March and I was heading into spring recipes, I had to make a note of it for later. Luckily it’s finally cranberry season so I can make this idea a reality. Cranberry orange is such a great combination, and turning it into streusel bars is the best kind of request you can get! You start with a shortbread crust, which is lightly baked before being topped with a homemade cranberry orange filling. Then it’s topped with a streusel and baked into crunchy perfection. And since I feel like no bar is complete with frosting, they’re topped with a coconut orange glaze.
The shortbread crust and streusel topping are the exact same mixture. Which means you can mix it all together in one bowl, making this even easier.
Keep back 1/3 of the mixture back for the streusel topping. Then pat the other 2/3 into the baking pan.
I par bake/or lightly bake the crust to keep it from getting soggy. Then it’s topped it with the cranberry filling and streusel, and baked again.
Once the bars have cooled a bit, you can glaze them.
I just love the way the glaze looks on these streusel bars, it really adds to their ‘coffee shop’ appeal. You know the bars I’m talking about right, they’re the ones that seem to be in any coffee shop you walk into. They’re all drizzle-y gooey and beckoning from the display case on your way to place your order. And since it’s always the glaze that catches my eye, I always glaze my homemade versions! 5 from 6 reviews
