Cranberry Crumble Bars

For the cranberry sauce:
In a small sauce pan over low heat, stir together the 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cranberries and stir every minute or so as they soften and release their juices. Once they’ve all softened and turned a deep pink-red color, carefully whisk in the maple syrup, bourbon, orange zest, spices, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and immediately reduce to a very low simmer. Let this go for another 4–5 minutes to allow the juices to cook off, and then transfer the sauce to a bowl to cool completely.

For the crust:
Preheat oven to 350ºF and lightly grease an 8×8 baking dish with butter.

In a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the 10 tablespoons of softened butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or alternative sugar, if using) until light and fluffy. Next, add the vanilla extract and egg and beat again until smooth, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

Stir together the dry ingredients for the crust in a bowl and slowly, working in batches, add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix after each addition using a rubber spatula. Do not overmix – the crust should be tender and slightly crumbly, and overmixing the batter will make for a tougher crust.

Press the crust into the greased baking dish in an even layer and bake for 20-22 minutes, or until just set in the center and lightly golden around the edges.

While the crust bakes, prepare the crumble.

For the crumble:
In a small bowl, stir together the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup whole-wheat flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt Use your hands to work the cold cubed butter into the dry ingredients as you would for a pie crust. The butter should become pea-sized and completely coated in the dry ingredients, making for a crumbly texture. Set aside.

Spread the cranberry sauce over the crust in an even layer all the way to the edges. Next, sprinkle the crumble over the top, leaving some of the cranberry sauce exposed in some areas. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until the cranberry sauce is almost set. Remove from the oven when the crumble is a golden brown color around the edges and allow the bars to cool for at least 3 hours before slicing.

Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Refrigerate or freeze for a longer storage time and better freshness. Enjoy!