Chocolate-Cranberry Oat Bars

November 3, 2020

Chocolate-Cranberry Oat Bars are a delightful dessert for the sweets course of your holiday tea. Chocolate-Cranberry Oat Bars pictured with Coconut-Pecan Tartlets.

Save Recipe Print

Chocolate-Cranberry Oat Bars

Serves: 40

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package chocolate wafer cookies
¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups quick-cooking oats
¼ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups dried cranberries
1 cup dark chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons fresh orange zest

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
Line a 13×9-inch pan with foil, letting excess hang over sides to use as handles. Spray with baking spray with flour.
In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse cookies until very fine crumbs.
In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and melted butter, stirring well. Press cookie mixture firmly into bottom of prepared pan.
In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and brown sugar. Beat at medium-high speed with a mixer until creamy.
In another medium bowl, combine flour, oats, and salt, whisking well. Add to butter mixture, beating until incorporated. Add cranberries and chocolate morsels, stirring to incorporate. Reserve 2 cups oat mixture, and press remaining oat mixture evenly into prepared pan on top of cookie layer.
Bake for 15 minutes.
In a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with a mixer until smooth. Add condensed milk and orange zest, beating until combined. Pour cream cheese mixture over warm crust.
Sprinkle reserved 2 cups oat mixture over cream cheese layer.
Bake until center is set, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool completely.
Cover, and refrigerate until very cold.
Using a sharp knife, cut into 40 bars.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.