Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Bars

If you love soft, chewy cookie bars with a little texture and a whole lot of flavor, these Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie Bars are about to become your new favorite bake. They’re cozy, lightly sweet, and packed with bright cranberry pops that make every bite feel a little special, perfect for the holidays or whenever you need a quick, crowd-pleasing treat.

Why You’ll Love These

• The perfect balance of chewy oats, tart cranberries, and creamy white chocolate.

• One-bowl, no-mixer recipe, just stir, bake, and enjoy.

• Festive enough for gifting, easy enough for a weeknight dessert.

• Stays soft for days (the dried cranberries help lock in moisture!).

Ingredients You’ll Need

1. Salted butter

2. Brown sugar

3. Eggs

4. Vanilla extract

5. All-purpose flour

6. Baking powder

7. Salt

8. Rolled oats

9. Dried cranberries

10. White chocolate chips

Ingredient Spotlight

Brown Sugar:
Brown sugar is the secret to keeping these cookie bars soft, chewy, and flavorful. Its natural molasses adds moisture and a deep caramel-like sweetness that pairs perfectly with tart cranberries.

Rolled Oats:
Rolled oats give the bars their signature hearty texture. They hold their shape better than quick oats, adding chewiness without making the bars dry or crumbly.

Dried Cranberries:
These bring a bright, tangy pop that cuts through the sweetness of the dough and white chocolate. Because they’re dried, they won’t release extra moisture, ensuring the bars stay thick and perfectly baked.

White Chocolate Chips:
Creamy and sweet, white chocolate adds richness to every bite. It melts into little pockets throughout the bars, balancing the oat and cranberry flavors with a smooth finish.

Make it all in one bowl!

This recipe is great because you can easily add all of the ingredients into one bowl without dirtying too many dishes.

Key note: It’s important to fold in the oats toward the end of the recipe so they keep their texture and don’t break down while you’re mixing the batter. Adding them last ensures the bars stay chewy and hearty, and it prevents overmixing, which can make the bars tough instead of soft and tender.

Helpful Tips for Perfect Cookie Bars

• Stick with dried cranberries for the best texture—fresh cranberries release too much moisture and can make the bars soggy.

• Doubling the recipe is easy: just use a 9×13 pan and extend the bake time by 5–10 minutes until the edges are golden.

• Gluten-free swaps work well with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend and certified gluten-free oats.

• If you want less sweetness, replace part of the white chocolate chips with chopped nuts like almonds, pistachios, or pecans for added crunch and balance.

• For cleaner slices, let the bars cool fully or chill them briefly before cutting—warm bars will crumble.

• To boost flavor, press extra cranberries or white chocolate chips on top before baking for a prettier, bakery-style finish.

Common Issues & Fixes

• Bars turned out dry: They were likely overbaked. Pull them out when the center is set but still soft.

• Cranberries sinking: Toss them lightly in a teaspoon of flour before adding to the batter.

• Too sweet? Swap half the white chocolate chips for chopped almonds or pistachios to balance flavor.

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Make-Ahead Instructions

These bars can be easily made ahead of time when you’re in a pinch!

Make the Dough Ahead:
You can prepare the dough up to 24 hours in advance. Just cover the bowl tightly and store it in the fridge. When ready to bake, let the dough sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes so it softens enough to spread into the pan.

Freeze the Unbaked Dough:
Press the dough into your baking pan lined with parchment and freeze it unbaked. Once solid, wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen—just add 5–8 extra minutes to the bake time.

Freeze the Baked Bars:
After baking and cooling, slice the bars and freeze them individually wrapped. They’ll stay fresh for 2–3 months and thaw beautifully at room temperature in about 30 minutes.

Best Results Tip:
Chilling or freezing the dough slightly can even help the flavors blend and give the bars a thicker, chewier texture.

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The holidays are rapidly approaching and I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. Leave a comment below or tag me on socials to let me know if you made any modifications. Happy baking :)

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Oatmeal Cranberry Cookie Bars

Yield: 16

Author: Jaegar Desjardin

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 45 Min

These oatmeal cranberry cookie bars are packed with hearty oats, creamy white chocolate chips, and bursts of tangy cranberry for a festive, feel-good treat you can whip up in minutes.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup salted butter (melted)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1cup white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 9x9 pan with parchment paper.
2. Melt the ½ cup of butter and allow it to cool slightly.
3. Add the melted butter and brown sugar to a separate, bigger bowl and mix with a spatula until combined.
4. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
5. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides and add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold the ingredients together until there are no clumps of flour without overmixing.
6. Add the 1 cup of white chocolate chips, 3/4 cup of oatmeal, and 1/2 cup of dried cranberries, and incorporate them into the dough.
7. Transfer to your prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown.
8. Allow to cool and enjoy!

Equipment

1. 9x9 baking pan
2. Parchment paper
3. Wire rack
4. Spatula
5. Bowls