High-Protein Cranberry-Apple Streusel Bars are a juicy and tangy bar. These bars are prepared in one hour, so we can easily prepare them for last-minute snack cravings or an event plan. They contain apples, nutmeg, orange juice & zest, cornstarch, sugar, cranberries, baking powder, egg, vanilla essence, baking soda, flour,  & butter. You can utilize the vegan butter & flaxseeds instead if you have a dairy allergy or you want to make it vegan. High-Protein Cranberry-Apple Streusel Bars are perfect to store for some time, so we don’t have to worry about making them for meal prep. Serve these High-Protein Cranberry-Apple Streusel Bars with nuts, cottage cheese, & cinnamon tea.
STATS:
- Calories: 285 kcal
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Serving size: 1 bar
- Cook time: 45 minutes
- Cuisine: American
- Total time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Course: Dessert
- Diet: Vegetarian
- Servings: 12 bars
EQUIPMENT:
- Baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium saucepan
- Cutting board
- Parchment paper
- Mixing spoon
- Pastry cutter
- Knife
- Wire cooling rack
INGREDIENTS:
FILLING:
- 2 small Gala apples
- 1½ cups cranberries
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp. cornstarch
- 1½ tsp. grated orange zest
- 2 tbsp. orange juice
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
CRUST:
- 1½ cups whole-wheat flour
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 tbsp. vanilla extract
INGREDIENT NOTES:
APPLE:
- Add the Gala apples to add the natural sweet taste and soft texture to the bars. You can leave the peel to add color and fiber to these bars.
CRANBERRIES:
- We can utilize both fresh and frozen cranberries to make these bars. It will add a slight tart flavor to them.
WHOLE-WHEAT FLOUR:
- Add this flour to offer fiber content in these bars, and it also makes them healthier. It will also provide the light nutty taste in the crust.
EGG WHITES:
- Add the egg white to include protein without the addition of fat. It also helps to combine the bars, so they doesn’t get crumbly.
BUTTER:
- We have to use cold butter to make the soft & crumbly crust and also provide the texture like streusel.
ORANGE ZEST & JUICE:
- Add the orange zest & juice to add the orange flavor and aroma to these bars, and it also balances the tangy flavor of the cranberries.
INSTRUCTIONS:
- First, we have to heat the oven to 175 ° C and put the parchment on the tray.
- Include the apples, sugar, cranberries, orange juice, cornstarch, nutmeg, and orange zest in the pan.
- Now cook these items for six to eight minutes on the moderate flame till the cranberries burst and the mixture gets thick, then put the pan on the shelf.
- Add the whole-wheat flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt, all-purpose flour, & sugar in the big vessel and mix them with the whisk.
- Then include the chill cubes of butter & slice the butter in flour mix with cutter & form coarse crumbs.
- Now add the vanilla essence & egg whites and mix the dough till it combines.
- Add 2/3 of the dough in the pan to prepare the crust.
- Then spread the cranberry apple filling equally on the crust.
- Now add the leftover dough on the filling equally on the fruit filling to form the topping.
- Now bake the bars for 40-45 minutes till the top gets lightly golden & the filling gets bubbly.
- Put the bars on the shelf to cool in the pan, then transfer them to the rack along with parchment.
- Then cut them into 12 portions and serve.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
BREAKFAST:
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Fresh berries
SNACK:
- Apple slices
- Mixed nuts
- Cheese cubes
DESSERT:
- Vanilla Greek yogurt
- Whipped cream
- Vanilla ice cream
HOLIDAY:
- Orange slices
- Cranberry sauce
- Cinnamon tea
TIPS:
- Add the cold butter to make the crumbly crust to offer the streusel texture.
- Avoid overcooking the filling, as it will get thick as soon as it gets cool.
- Properly cool the bars, then make slices so the filling gets set well.
STORAGE INFORMATION:
FRIDGE:
- Cool the bars, then add them to the tight vessel and store for 5 days.
FREEZER:
- Cover the bars individually in the plastic, then put them in the container & freeze for three months.
FAQs:
Will I utilize the frozen cranberries to make these bars?
- Yes, we would easily make these bars with the frozen cranberries. Add them to the pan directly without defrosting them.
Can I prepare them in advance?
- Absolutely, we would prepare them in advance and cool them, then store till required.
Why are these bars higher in protein?
- These bars have whole wheat flour and egg whites, which will add protein to them, though you would also add the Greek yogurt to add extra protein to them.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:
Calories: 285 kcal
Net carbs: 46.6 g
Iron: 1.7 mg
Total carbs: 49.7 g
Vitamin A: 5 µg RAE
Fiber: 3.1 g
Calcium: 25 mg
Serving size: 1 bar
Protein: 4.6 g
Total fat: 8.3 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Potassium: 105 mg
Serving: 12 bars
