Cranberry Streusel Bars

Yields: 9-12 bars

INGREDIENTS

Cranberry Filling
4 cups (16 oz) fresh cranberries
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice
½ teaspoon fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 sticks unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

For the Streusel
⅔ cup of the crust dough
½ cup pine nuts
½ cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon fine sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9x9 square cake pan with one sheet of parchment paper so that there is a one-inch overhang.

Make the Cranberry Filling:

Combine cranberries, sugar, ginger and orange juice in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally and mashing cranberries with a wooden spoon, until thick and jammy, about 7 minutes. Stir in the vanilla and orange zest, remove from heat and let cool while you prepare the crust. Filling cools faster if you spread in a pie plate. You should have about 2 cups of filling.

Make the Crust:

In a small bowl, whisk together the flours and salt; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla on medium speed for 2 minutes, until light and creamy. Add in the flour and beat until just combined. Measure out ⅔ cup of the dough and set aside (to be used in streusel). Press the remaining dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.

Make the Streusel:

Using a fork, mix the reserved ⅔ cup of dough with the pine nuts, rolled oats and salt.

Spread the cranberry filling evenly on top of the crust. Scatter the streusel evenly on top of the cranberry filling and using your hands, gently press the streusel down onto the cranberry filling.

Bake for 35-45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.