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    Home » Desserts

    Cranberry Oatmeal Bars {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}

    Published: Oct 28, 2018 · by Audrey

    Pin Recipe Jump to recipe →
    gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars Pinterest pin 2B

    An easy recipe for gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars. A combination of tart cranberries with a sweet oatmeal cookie layer drizzled with vanilla orange glaze. The recipe also has a dairy-free option. 

    gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars on a white plate with cranberries in the background.

    Originally published in October 2017. Recipe and photos updated October 2018.

    Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes

    Cranberry oatmeal bars are one of the desserts my mom always makes for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

    I love the combination of sweet and tartness of these cranberry date bars. They are one of my all-time favorite holiday desserts.

    I’ve even been known to eat these bars for breakfast!

    How To Make Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

    gluten-free cranberry bars recipe steps 1-6

    • Preheat your oven to 350 ° F and spray a 9×13 glass baking pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
    • In a large bowl mix the gluten-free flour,  (gluten-free quick oats, brown sugar, baking soda,  salt together until fully combined. Stir in melted butter and mix until it’s nice and crumbly. (photo 1)
    • Press half of the mixture into the bottom of the pan and press down so it’s nice and firm. Bake for 8 minutes. (photo 2)
    • Place the cranberries, dates and orange juice (or water) and dried orange peel (optional) in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until the cranberries pop, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. (photo 3)
    • Remove from the heat and stir in the pure vanilla extract.
    • Spoon cranberry mixture over baked crust bottom. I used a spatula to make it nice and even. (photo 4)
    • Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and pat down gently. (photo 5)
    • Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
    • In a small bowl combine the glaze ingredients and stir until is smooth.
    • Drizzle the bars with the glaze, cool completely and cut into bars. Enjoy! (photo 6)
    • Cover with plastic wrap, foil or store in an air-tight container. These are even better the second day!

    Gluten-Fee Flour

    I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.

    I also like Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free quick oats.

    Dairy-Free Baking

    I have also included a dairy-free option to my gluten-free cranberry bars recipe. My husband, my youngest son, and I are all dairy-free.

    I promise these cranberry bars are just as delicious made with dairy-free butter. So, you too can enjoy a gluten-free and dairy-free cranberry oatmeal bars.

    Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to bake with is almond, cashew or coconut milk. I also like baking with coconut oil or Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter.

    gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars cut in a pan.

    I have no idea where my mom got this recipe, but it was easily modified to be gluten-free by using gluten-free oats.

    Watch out, because these bars are addicting, and you just might find yourself eating the whole pan!

    Here are some of my favorite Gluten-Free Holiday Dessert Recipes!

    • Easy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
    • Almond Spritz Cookies {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
    • Gluten-Free White Chocolate Dipped Gingerbread Cookies {Dairy-Free Option}

    Let’s Connect! You can FOLLOW MEon  Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    ★Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!★

    gluten-free cranberry bars on a white plate with cranberries in the background.
    Print Pin
    5 from 6 votes

    Oatmeal Cranberry Bars {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}

    Super easy gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars are a combination of sweet and tart with an oatmeal cookie drizzled with vanilla orange glaze. Recipe with a dairy-free option.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cranberry date bars, gluten-free cranberry bars, gluten-free cranberry oatmeal bars
    Prep Time 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time 40 minutes minutes
    Servings 18 bars
    Calories 298kcal
    Author Audrey from Mama Knows Gluten Free

    Ingredients

    Bars:

    • 1 12oz package cranberries
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice or water
    • ¼ teaspoon dried orange peel (or orange zest) (optional)
    • 2 cups gluten-free quick oats I like Bob's Red Mill
    • 2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour I like Pillsbury gluten-free
    • ½ teaspoon xanthan gum ,leave out if your flour already has it in it
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 cup butter melted (Earth Balance or Smart Balance for dairy-free)
    • 1 8oz package chopped sugared dates
    • 1 ½ cup packed brown sugar
    • ¼ salt

    Glaze:

    • 2 cups powdered sugar
    • 2 tablespoons orange juice or milk (I used almond milk)
    • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    • ⅛ teaspoon dried orange peel (or orange zest) (optional)
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 9x13 glass pan with gluten-free cooking spray.
    • Place the cranberries, dates and orange juice (or water) and dried orange peel (optional) in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until berries pop, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Remove from heat; stir in the pure vanilla extract.
    • Mix all-purpose gluten-free flour, oats, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt until fully combined. Stir in melted butter, until the mixture is nice and crumbly.
    • Press half of the oat mixture into a greased baking pan. Bake 8 minutes.
    • Spoon cranberry mixture over baked crust bottom. Smooth with the back of a spoon or spatula. 
    • Sprinkle with remaining oat mixture and pat down gently.
    • Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes.
    • Glaze
    • In a small bowl combine the glaze ingredients and stir until it's nice and smooth.
    • Drizzle with the glaze.  Cool completely and cut into bars. Enjoy!
    • Cover bars with plastic wrap, foil or store in an air-tight container. These are even better the second day.

    Notes

    I like Pillsbury gluten-free flour. Not all gluten-free flours are created equal. You may experience different baking results depending on the gluten-free flour blend you choose.
    I like Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Quick Oats
    Cover bars or store in an air-tight container. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 72mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 325IU | Vitamin C: 2.4mg | Calcium: 31mg | Iron: 1mg
    Pin Recipe
    Did you enjoy this recipe? Please give it a star rating below in the comments. Thank you!
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    DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Share a recipe pic with me and mention @MamaKnowsGlutenFree and use the tag #mamaknowsglutenfree!

     

     

     

     

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    © MAMA KNOWS GLUTEN FREE. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please link back to this post for the recipe.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angie says

      December 14, 2022 at 1:21 pm

      I made these with what I had on hand – subbed in regular chopped dates, rolled oats, and I didn’t have powdered sugar so I topped with granulated before baking. Came out hearty and just sweet enough. I appreciate that the cranberry layer is not wet so the oats stay firm and crumbly. Thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Alli says

      November 06, 2021 at 11:31 am

      These are incredible!! I opted to leave off the glaze for a slightly healthier version and they were still fantastic!

      Reply
    3. Deb Bouchareb Simmons says

      December 15, 2020 at 4:59 pm

      I made the gluten-free, dairy-free version. Had an oops—converted 1 cup of butter to 8 tablespoons instead of 16! Realized my mistake after I baked them:-( Recovered by melting 1/2 c of Earth Balance butter substitute (also soy-free), 1/4 c of coconut oil and 1/4 c of raw honey together. Spooned the mixture over the baked bars and put it back in the oven for a little while. Then made the creamy topping (with orange juice and orange zest). My husband said I should let him eat all of the 9×13 pan; I can make another for Christmas!

      Your recipes are amazing! I just found your site and so thankful I did!

      Thanks again!

      Reply
    4. Janet says

      December 07, 2020 at 4:43 pm

      I just made these yesterday and shared them today with my co-workers. I did not tell them they were gluten free. They loved them and one asked for the recipe, which I promptly found and printed out for her.

      Reply
    5. Gail says

      November 27, 2019 at 1:25 pm

      i made these last Thanksgiving for my daughter-in-law who is GF and DF.
      She loved them and has requested them again this year.
      Everyone loved them. They are tart and sweet at the same time.
      No one knew that they were GF.
      Thank you so much for this recipe.

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        November 29, 2019 at 9:37 pm

        Thank you so much Gail for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that everyone loved the cranberry bars, they are one of my all-time favorite holiday desserts. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family and helping others. Thank you again!

        Reply
    6. Sharon Rigsby says

      December 18, 2018 at 12:02 pm

      Hi Audrey,
      A lady came up to me in church last Sunday and said she made your Oatmeal Cranberry Bars. She told me her husband absolutely loved them and she couldn’t stop talking about how good they were. Another lady overheard her and thought it was my recipe she was talking about and sent me an email today asking for the recipe. I forwarded her a link to your post and she was very excited to get it. Just wanted to pass this along! Hope you are doing well and Merry Christmas!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        December 18, 2018 at 10:27 pm

        Thank you so much Sharon for letting me know your friend enjoyed the cranberry bars and for giving the recipe to your other friend! I appreciate that so much friend. The cranberry bars are one of my all-time favorite holiday desserts. My mom used to make them every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I’ve even known to eat them for breakfast. That’s how much I love them! We need to catch up. I hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas. Thanks again!

        Reply
    7. Karla Hardy says

      December 06, 2018 at 4:10 pm

      I made these as part of our Thanksgiving treats and they were fabulous!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        December 06, 2018 at 6:09 pm

        Thank you so much Karla for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the cranberry bars for Thanksgiving. They are one of my all-time favorite holiday desserts. Thanks again!

        Reply
    8. Kailen says

      December 03, 2018 at 8:57 am

      Do you think steel cut oats would work?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        December 04, 2018 at 8:36 am

        Hi Kailen! I have never tried steel oats before. The quick oats are a smaller oat. Maybe you could chop up the steel oats in a food processor first. If you try the steel oats can you please let me know how they turn out? I hope you enjoy them!

        Reply
    9. Diane says

      November 11, 2018 at 4:53 pm

      I’d like to make these & have all the ingredients except for the dates, can I make this without the dates or substitute it for something else?

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        November 11, 2018 at 6:58 pm

        Hi Diane the dates are key to this recipe. It holds the cranberries together and gives the bars its sweetness. I hope you enjoy the bars once you are able to get some sugared dates. I buy them in the baking aisle. Thank you for asking!

        Reply
    10. Virginia says

      November 03, 2018 at 6:42 pm

      These look so delicious! Adding recipe to my gluten-free options list. Thank you!

      Reply
      • Audrey says

        November 04, 2018 at 7:38 am

        Hi Virgina. Thank you so much! I hope you enjoy the cranberry bars. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. They are one of my favorite holiday treats. I even eat them for breakfast!

        Reply

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    Audrey Roberts in a white kitchen for a profile photo

    I'm Audrey Roberts, a busy mama of four and I love sharing the recipes that I make for my family. I make gluten-free family-friendly recipes that are simple and delicious that you can too! I use easy to find ingredients that won't break your budget. You will also find dairy-free options and Paleo recipes. I am also the author of  The Everything Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Cookbook, which is an Amazon Best Selling Cookbook in the US and Internationally. Living gluten-free since 2010. I hope by me sharing my journey it may help you with yours.  Read More…

     

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