Cranberry Bliss Bars {Starbucks Copycat} are white chocolate blondies with added dried cranberries and orange zest, topped with a cream cheese frosting. If you would prefer the bars without cranberries and orange zest, make my White Chocolate Blondies.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
If you are looking for happiness in a dessert bar, you have come to the right recipe. Hence the name, Cranberry Bliss Bars. The cranberry and orange flavors added to the bars make these the perfect holiday treat (or anytime dessert, if you ask me…) They should be added to both Thanksgiving and Christmas menus, for sure! But, be ready for all of your guests to ask for the recipe.
Ingredients
White Chocolate Chips: Look for high-quality white chocolate chips for the best results. They are added to both the bars and the cream cheese frosting.
Sugar: I used brown sugar in this recipe, which is standard in many blondie recipes.
Orange Zest: As with the white chocolate chips, you will need a little orange zest for both the bars and frosting. It gives the bars a hint of citrus flavor.
Cranberries: Look for dried cranberries, also known as Craisins. I would not recommend using fresh or frozen cranberries in this recipe.
How to Store
If adding the cream cheese frosting, store Cranberry Bliss Bars in the refrigerator, covered. They will last up to 5 days. If not adding the frosting, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can I Freeze Cranberry Bliss Bars?
Sure! Even with the frosting, you can certainly freeze Cranberry Bliss Bars. They will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. If stacking them, be sure to separate the layers with wax paper or parchment. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying them.
More Christmas Desserts
Cranberry Bliss Bars {Starbucks Copycat}
Ingredients
Blondies
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup (113 g) white chocolate chips
- 1¾ cups (350 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 2½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup (160 g) dried cranberries
Frosting
- 1 cup (160 g) white chocolate chips, melted and divided
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- ¾ cup (94 g) confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ cup (65 g) dried cranberries, chopped
Instructions
Blondies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper, including up the sides. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and the white chocolate chips. Melt in 20-second intervals, stirring in between each time, until the mixture is creamy with no lumps (about 1-2 minutes total). Allow to slightly cool.
- To the melted white chocolate mixture, add brown sugar. Stir to combine.
- Add the eggs and the egg yolk, one at a time, stirring well after each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and the orange zest. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and ginger.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until completely combined. Fold in the dried cranberries.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden brown.
- Allow to cool completely before topping with frosting.
Frosting
- Add the white chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20-second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese and confectioners' sugar together until smooth.
- Gradually pour HALF of the melted white chocolate into the cream cheese mixture, reserving the other half for drizzling on top of the bars. Continue to mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the orange zest and stir to combine.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled blondies.
- Sprinkle the dried cranberries over the frosting. Drizzle the remaining melted white chocolate over the bars. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
I made Impossible Pumpkin Pie I absolutely loved it. I ‘m not a crust person, and this hit the spot.
The “crust” was more on the sides and top then on the bottom. It wasn’t exactly a crust it was firmer than the rest of the pie. I added more nutmeg, that’s how like it. It is excellent.
Thank you, Amanda
Your cranberry bars look delicious. I also am going to try your peanut butter and jelly bars too.
Thank 😊 You for sharing.
Carol
This is definitely an easier cranberry bliss bar than my original recipe. One thing I will do differently with this one is instead of powdered ginger I will add 1 TBLSP of very finely minced candied ginger. My original recipe calls for it and it does taste amazing!
Absolutely superb! I’ve made this several times and people beg me to make it every Christmas!
I made these and they are wonderful! I didn’t have any ground ginger so I used 1/8 tsp of allspice. Will definitely make them again.
How many does this make?
It’s tricky because they are cut into an odd shape, but when cut into this shape there are 24 bars.
Best recipe ever and super easy to make! Also comes out very tasty 😋
I absolutely love white chocolate so these have become one of my favorite. Thank you!
I made these and they are delicious, but they are so messy! I had a hard time cutting them into those nice little triangles after they were frosted. Yours are so pretty! What is your secret?
Did you chill them for several hours before cutting them? I did this and also used a serrated knife to cut them.
I just finished making this recipe. It took me longer than I expected – which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I found spreading the batter onto the parchment paper in the pan very challenging. I feel like there has to be a better way to do that. Is there a trick I don’t know about? The parchment was sliding all over the place while I was trying to spread the batter and I had trouble getting it all the way into the corners. Please know I’m not complaining; just asking. I am a seasoned baker and was surprised I had such trouble. Thank you though for a delicious recipe!
Hi Jackie- you can try spreading out the dough between two sheets of parchment, in the approximate size of your baking dish. Then place that in the baking dish, press into the corners as needed, and remove the top piece of parchment. Hope that helps!
If you dpray oil on the pan then put parchment the oil will help hold the parchment in place better.
I just spray some nonstick cooking spray down and then lay down the parchment. Keeps it from sliding around.
But for some strange reason, my bars came out greasy. Dense, which was good, but like butter-bombs. I even came back to check that it was TWO sticks of butter. Idk what happened.
I buttered my hands and pressed the batter down.
Fabulous recipe, as always. I ultimately used far less frosting and didn’t add add’l chips in top.