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Cranberry Orange Bar by Josiah Moore

Spiced Orange Cranberry Bars


  • Author: Josiah Moore

Description

A buttery, spiced crust provides a warm base for a bright orange filling topped with tart cranberry compote, creating a balance of sweet and tangy notes in every bite. “I’m very proud of what I made,” Moore said, describing the dessert as a comforting twist perfect for the holidays.


Ingredients

FOR THE CRUST:

  • Flour: 3 ¾ cups

  • Powdered sugar: 1 cup

  • Salt: ¾ tsp

  • Butter: 1 lb + 2 tbsp

  • Cinnamon: 2 tsp

  • Nutmeg: 1 tsp

  • Orange zest: 1 ½ tbsp

FOR THE ORANGE FILLING:

  • Sugar: 2 cups

  • Orange juice: 1 cup

  • Eggs: 8 each

  • Orange zest: 4 tbsp

  • All-purpose flour: ½ cup

FOR THE CRANBERRY COMPOTE:

  • Cranberries, frozen: 2 cups (approx. 8 oz)

  • Sugar: ⅓ cup

  • Water: ½ cup


Instructions

For the Crust:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang for easy removal.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, powdered sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange zest.

  3. Cut in the butter using a pastry cutter or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

  4. Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan to form a crust.

  5. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges. Set aside to cool slightly.

For the Orange Filling:

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, eggs, orange juice, and orange zest until smooth.

  2. Sift in the flour and whisk until fully incorporated.

  3. Pour the filling over the slightly cooled crust and spread evenly.

  4. Bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the center is just set and no longer jiggly.

  5. Allow to cool completely before topping with cranberry compote.

For the Cranberry Compote:

  1. In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, sugar, and water over medium heat.

  2. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the mixture thickens, about 10–12 minutes.

  3. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

To Assemble:

  1. Spread the cooled cranberry compote evenly over the orange layer.

  2. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before slicing.

  3. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.