Cranberry Bliss Bars are the perfect homemade version of the favorite seasonal Starbucks treat!
Just like you’d get from the cafe, these are tender cranberry blondies with hints of orange essence and ginger. They’re topped with a luscious white chocolate frosting, more cranberries, and extra white chocolate.
Why wait in line at Starbucks when you can make up a whole pan of homemade copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars in under an hour?
If you’ve never been so lucky to enjoy one of these goodies, let me tell you what you’ve been missing!
A chewy, tender blondie is baked to perfection, flavored with cranberries, orange extract, and vanilla extract. They’re good like this, but even better with a generous layer of fluffy white chocolate buttercream.
Every single bite is completely heavenly, so I totally get why they call them bliss bars!
I’ve also got a perfect Starbucks copycat for their (sadly discontinued) Pumpkin Scones that you’re going to love, and another for Starbucks Lemon Loaf!
Either treat will be delicious with a hot cup of coffee that you make in you Moka Pot or Aeropress.
Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe Highlights
- Enjoy these any time of the year. Starbucks cranberry bliss bars are only available at Christmastime, but these flavors are amazing all year round. The ingredients needed to make these are easily available all the time, so there’s no need to wait until December to quell your Cranberry Bliss Bar craving.
- Save money. Cranberry Bliss Bars at Starbucks cost like four or five dollars! That’s silly when you can make a whole pan of them for about that much in basic pantry staples. This recipe makes 24 pieces, so you’ll have plenty to enjoy and enough to share.
- A Fun and Easy Recipe. Cranberry blondies are an easy one-bowl recipe that comes together quickly. While you wait for your bars to cool, you can whip up the most amazing white chocolate frosting. To really match the bars at the cafe, we’re finishing our bliss bars with a drizzle of white chocolate and even more cranberries!
Key Ingredients in Cranberry Bliss Bars
Here’s what you need to make this Starbucks copycat recipe:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: This recipe starts with melted butter. I suggest melting it and letting it cool for just a minute before mixing up the blondie batter.
- Cranberries: Sweetened dried cranberries are mixed into the bars and sprinkled on top.
- Orange Extract: This is key to giving these bars their iconic flavor. for even more orange flavor, you can stir in a tablespoon or so of grated orange zest too.
- Sugar: Both light brown sugar and granulated sugar give us the perfect amount of sweetness and a soft, chewy texture.
- White Chocolate: I’m using bars of white chocolate that I’ve chopped with a knife, but you can also use white chocolate chips if you prefer.
- Cream Cheese: Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature before you make the delicious white chocolate cream cheese frosting.
How To Make Cranberry Bliss Bars
Start by preheating the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven. Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and set it aside while you mix up the blondie batter.
Tip!
You can check for doneness with a toothpick! When a toothpick inserted into the center of the pan of bars comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs, they’re ready.
Recipe Tips
- Choose your baking pan. A 9×13-inch pan is the perfect size for this recipe. You could bake these in a 9×9-inch pan, but the bars will be much thicker and will take an extra few minutes to cook.
- Use a parchment sling. When you’re preparing your baking pan for bars, leave extra parchment paper hanging over the two long sides. These will act like handles and allow you to easily remove the bars from the pan once they’re cool.
- Let them cool. Don’t try to add the frosting to your bliss bars until they are completely cooled to room temperature. If they’re still a bit warm, the frosting can melt.
- White chocolate drizzle. Keep in mind that white chocolate is quite sweet. It’s wonderfully balanced in the cream cheese frosting here, but the extra drizzle might be too much for you if you prefer your treats on the less sweet side.
- For clean cuts on these squares, it’s best to cut them while they are chilled. Use a large, sharp knife, and clean the knife in between each cut.
- Try adding nuts! Chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios would be delicious in this recipe, and add another layer of blissful flavor.
Storing Tips
Keep these frosted bars in the refrigerator in a sealed container. They’ll last this way for 4-5 days.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Make gluten free cranberry bliss bars?
Swap out the all-purpose flour for your favorite gluten-free 1:1 blend. Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Flour both make a baking blend that should work well.
Can I freeze these?
Sure! Cut the bars and freeze them on a tray first. Once they are solid, you can transfer them to a sealed freezer container or bag. Allow the frozen bars to thaw overnight in the fridge before enjoying.
Can I make frosting with low-fat cream cheese?
You can make the frosting with low fat cream cheese (or neufchatel cheese). It won’t be quite as luscious, but it will still be tasty. Avoid fat-free cream cheese. It’s not delicious and does not make good frosting.
Can I cut bliss bars in squares instead of triangles?
The triangle shape is reminiscent of the Starbucks version, but you can feel free to cut these into squares instead.
More Delicious Bar Recipes
Magic Bars (Seven Layer Bars)
Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
Butter Tart Bars
Skip the Starbucks run this weekend and whip up a batch of these delicious homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars! Pin the recipe, too—it will be perfect for the holidays.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Equipment
- 13 x 9 inch baking pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the blondies:
- 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup (225 g) butter melted
- 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange extract
- 6 oz. (170 g) chopped white chocolate or about 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
For the cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz. (225 g) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 6 oz. (170 g) white chocolate or about 1 ½ cups chocolate chips, divided
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries chopped
Instructions
Blondies:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C), or 160°C for a fan oven. Grease and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger; set aside.
- Whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and orange extract and mix again.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries.
- Smooth the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the blondies comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Melt the white chocolate using a double boiler or in the microwave. Microwave at 15-second intervals, stirring after each, until smooth.
- In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, half the melted white chocolate, and half the powdered sugar until smooth. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar and mix until it is fully combined. Add the milk, a teaspoon at a time, and the vanilla extract, stirring after each addition, until the desired consistency is reached.
- Spread the frosting evenly on the cooled blondies. Sprinkle the chopped cranberries, drizzle the remaining white chocolate over the cranberries and frosting.
- Allow to chill for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.
Notes:
- Use a parchment sling. When you’re preparing your baking pan for bars, leave extra parchment paper hanging over the two long sides. These will act like handles and allow you to easily remove the bars from the pan once they’re cool.
- Let them cool. Don’t try to add the frosting to your bliss bars until they are completely cooled to room temperature. If they’re still a bit warm, the frosting can melt.
- White chocolate drizzle. Keep in mind that white chocolate is quite sweet. It’s wonderfully balanced in the cream cheese frosting here, but the extra drizzle might be too much for you if you prefer your treats on the less sweet side.
- For clean cuts on these squares, it’s best to cut them while they are chilled. Use a large, sharp knife, and clean the knife in between each cut.
- Try adding nuts! Chopped walnuts, pecans, or pistachios would be delicious in this recipe, and add another layer of blissful flavor.
- To Store: Keep these in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Kim Marlowe says
Your recipe doesn’t call for the amount of butter for the cream cheese icing. Can you plese tell me how much it should be? Also, can you please tell me are you using real butter or are you substituting margarine in place of real butter? thank you so much. I would appreciate a quick reply if possible, as I am going to make this for Thanksgiving.😁
Little Sunny Kitchen says
The icing for these bars doesn’t use any butter! It’s softened cream cheese, melted white chocolate, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. Enjoy the holiday!