Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cranberry Bliss Bars, a Starbucks copycat recipe, are tender cranberry brownies with hints of orange and ginger and creamy white chocolate frosting. You'll love making these blissful treats at home!
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 9x13-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
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 111mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 402IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 1mg
Find it online: https://littlesunnykitchen.com/cranberry-bliss-bars/