Orange Raisin Squares

These old-fashioned bar cookies are soft, cakey, and packed with orange and raisin flavor. The raisins get soaked in hot water then ground, which distributes fruit flavor throughout the batter instead of leaving whole raisins that sink to the bottom.

Sour cream mixed with baking soda creates the leavening here. The acid in the sour cream reacts with the soda, giving these bars their tender, cake-like lift. It also adds a slight tang that keeps the sweetness in check and pairs well with the fresh orange zest.

Grating the orange peel directly into the batter fills the whole kitchen with citrus as they bake. Finished with a dusting of powdered sugar or an orange icing, these are the kind of cookie-bar hybrid that disappears from the pan before it’s fully cooled.

Kitchen Tips

• Soak the raisins in hot water until plump before grinding them. Dry raisins won’t break down smoothly and can jam a food processor.
• Grate only the orange part of the peel, not the white pith beneath. Pith is bitter and will throw off the flavor.
• Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Thin spots overbake while thick areas stay underdone in a flat pan.
• These bars are intentionally soft and cake-like. Don’t overbake looking for crispy edges; pull them when a toothpick comes out clean.

Variations

• Make a quick orange icing: mix powdered sugar with fresh orange juice until drizzle-able, then pour over the cooled bars.
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for a nutty crunch throughout.
• Swap raisins for dried cranberries and use lemon zest instead of orange for a cranberry-lemon version.