Spiced Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Crumb Bars

I'm starting to feel very Christmasy since I watched Frosty the Snowman the other day with the daycare kids (the whole thing is on YouTube!), and so I wanted to bake something with cranberries and oranges. My grandma always makes a cranberry and orange relish for Christmas and Thanksgiving, so this can be the baking equivalent. 

They are so pretty and SO tasty. The flavor of the cranberry filling is very strong and very amazing. The crumb part is spiced with mulling spices for extra Christmasy-ness.

Spiced Cranberry-Orange Oatmeal Crumb Bars

Adapted from this recipe by the Smitten Kitchen, posted on Lottie + Doof

Crumb base & topping:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, plus more at room temperature for the pan

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1 large egg
(add for top layer) 1/2 cup oats

Cranberry filling:

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

1 1/2 tablespoons orange juice

2 cups fresh cranberries

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 tablespoon cornstarch

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, and butter the sides and the parchment. 

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spices. With a pastry blender or fork, work the chilled butter  and the egg into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Pat half the crumb base into the bottom of your prepared pan; it will be thin.

3. In the bowl of a food processor or blender, briefly pulse the filling ingredients until the berries are coarsely chopped but not pureed. Spread the filling over the crumb base. Add the oatmeal into the remaining half of crumb topping. Sprinkle the rest of the crumbs evenly over the cranberry mixture.

4. Bake cookies for 30 to 35 minutes, or until lightly browned on top. Cool completely before cutting into squares.