• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with butter or non-stick baking spray. Additionally, line the pan with a parchment paper sling for easy removal of the bars. Set aside.

Make the Filling

• Set a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat on the stove. Add all of the cranberry filling ingredients except the cornstarch and water. Stir to combine.
• Simmer for about 25 minutes, or until the cranberries burst and the filling reduces slightly.
• In a small measuring cup, combine 1 teaspoon cold water and 1 teaspoon cornstarch, stirring to dissolve. Stir the slurry into the cranberry filling and cook for 2 minutes, or until filling is thick. *Keep in mind that the filling will continue to thicken as it cools. The finished filling will be the consistency of a thick jam.

Make the Crust

• *Do this step while the filling is simmering.
• Using a fork, pastry blender, or the whisk attachment on an electric mixer, combine butter, flour, and sugar until a crumbly dough forms.
• Press the crust mixture into an even layer in the bottom of the greased baking pan. *Don’t be alarmed if it is crumbly, it will come together as it bakes! Bake in the preheated 350℉ oven for 15 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. *Leave the oven turned on.
• While the crust is baking, make the streusel topping.

Streusel Topping

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk melted butter, flour, sugar, cinnamon and ginger together to create a crumbly topping.
• Remove the crust from the oven. Pour cranberry filling into the crust and use an offset spatula or spoon to spread it into an even layer. Sprinkle an even layer of streusel topping over the filling.
• Bake cranberry bars in 350℉ oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the streusel is golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool the bars in the pan for 1 hour before cutting into squares.