Name: Cranberry Pretzel Oat Crumble Bars
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1.25 cups rolled oats; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 0.5 cup brown sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 0.25 tsp baking soda; 0.25 tsp fine sea salt; 0.75 cup pretzels; 0.5 cup unsalted butter; 0.25 cup unsweetened applesauce; 0.75 cup leftover cranberry sauce

Cranberry Pretzel Oat Crumble Bars cover

From the Cook

1/3

Cranberry Pretzel Oat Crumble Bars

Project Meal Plan Verified

Ingredients

Warning0 allergens identified

Instructions

This recipe also lives on Project Meal Plan. Show them some love by checking it out! 😊

Check out original post! 😊

Original PostView

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and 1/2 cup crushed pretzels (save remaining 1/4 cup for topping). Next, add butter cubes and applesauce to the bowl. Use your hands to mix and squish the wet and dry ingredients together completely until a wet crumbly mixture forms.

Add about 3 cups of crumble mixture to the prepared pan. Use your fingers to press the mixture into the pan, forming the base layer. Next, spread cranberry sauce in an even layer over the base. Finally, alternate sprinkling the remaining crumble mixture and 1/4 cup pretzels over the cranberry sauce. Lightly press the topping into the cranberry sauce.

Bake in the preheated 350F oven for 45-50 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Let the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and continue cooling to room temperature (or chill in the fridge) before cutting.

Cut into 12 bars. Serve once cooled and cut. Store leftover bars in an airtight container or wrapped in foil on the counter for up to 5 days.

Smart Nutrition

My Calorie Intake

0
Review & Earn

Be the first to review this recipe and earn a 20% Bonus

Level up & unlock free Premium by reviewing recipes!

My Notes

Your kitchen notebook is waiting.

Whether it's a recipe tweak or an inspiration burst — jot it down here.

Tips & Tricks (5)

Toast Your Pretzels for Extra Crunch 🥨
Lightly toast the crushed pretzels in a dry skillet for 2-3 minutes before mixing into the crumble topping to intensify their salty flavor and prevent them from becoming soggy during baking.
Chill Your Butter Mixture 🧈
Refrigerate the crumble topping for 15-20 minutes before spreading over the cranberry layer to ensure it stays clumpy and creates distinct, crispy texture rather than baking into a dense cake.
Layer Your Fillings Strategically 🍓
Mix your cranberry sauce with applesauce in a 2:1 ratio to balance tartness and prevent the filling from being too dense, ensuring it spreads evenly without overwhelming the other flavors.
Use Fine Sea Salt Strategically ✨
Reserve a pinch of fine sea salt to sprinkle directly over the finished bars while still warm to enhance the sweet-salty contrast and make the pretzel flavor pop.
Cool Completely Before Cutting 🔪
Allow bars to cool to room temperature (at least 1 hour) then refrigerate for 2 hours before cutting with a sharp, wet knife for clean edges and perfect presentation.