Chocolate Cranberry Bars

One of my favorite flavor combinations is cranberry and chocolate. This is a moist, gooey way to incorporate those flavors into a cookie bar. In fact, it may be on my 'work' schedule today! I like the contrast of the bright red cranberries and the deep brown of the chocolate.

Chocolate Cranberry Bars
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, cubed roughly
1 cup regular oatmeal
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
zest of one orange
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves and nutmeg

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter, and  vanilla in a large bowl and mix to form fine crumbs. Add oatmeal and mix. Put one cup of crumb mixture aside and press the rest into a crust in a parchment-lined 13x9x2 baking pan. You can also use two smaller pans if necessary. Bake crust in 350 degree oven for 15 minutes.

While the crust is having a preliminary baking, combine the orange juice, zest, andcranberries in a cooking pot. Bring to a boil, reduce, and stir occasionally until the mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the spices.

Melt the chocolate chips until smooth.

Spread the melted chocolate over the oatmeal crust. Layer the cooked cranberries over the chocolate. Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the cranberries. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool completely in the baking pan on a cooling rack. Cut into squares and serve.

These are good as a bar cookie or you can dress them up for a dessert with whipped cream.

Note: If you have whole, frozen cranberries, they will work equally well as you are basically cooking them down to a thickened filling for the cookies.