These Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars are such a delicious combination of tart dried cranberries, and sweet white chocolate. Inspired by the seasonal favorite at Starbucks, these bars are perfect for the holidays, or anytime of year!
These cookie bars are soft, sweet, and loaded with craisins, white baking chips, and a light orange flavor. Topped with a layer of cream cheese icing and orange zest, and more dried cranberries.
They have such a fresh combination of flavors, with the orange flavor, mixed with the light cream cheese. It’s a combo I was surprised I loved so much the first time I tried it, but is now often on repeat over here!
Why make this recipe
- Soft and Chewy Texture – These bars have the perfect chewy blondie base, topped with their smooth cream cheese frosting it’s a combination you’ll love.
- Enjoy all year long – Instead of only getting this favorite from Starbucks during the holidays now you can make them at home all year long. It’s a festive flavor that is perfect during the Christmas season, but fresh enough to enjoy in the spring and summer too.
- Quick and Easy – No chilling, or shaping needed, these cookie bars come together in just minutes. The only hard part is letting them cool before adding their luscious frosting on top.
Ingredients Needed
This is a quick overview of the ingredients you’ll need for this White Chocolate Cranberry Bars Recipe. Specific measurements and full recipe instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
- unsalted butter – I always use unsalted butter so I can control the amount of salt in the recipe
- brown sugar – adds sweetness, and a chewy texture to the bars – standard for blondie recipes
- eggs – adds richness and helps hold everything together
- vanilla extract – enhances the flavors of the bars and frosting
- all purpose flour – provides structure to the bars, you should be able to substitute with a 1:1 Gluten Free flour if needed.
- cornstarch – keeps the bars extra soft
- orange zest – adds a little freshness to the bars
- baking powder + baking soda – helps the bars to rise, and get their chewy texture
- salt – balances out the flavors
- ground ginger – adds a warm, spicy flavor
- dried cranberries – You will be using dried cranberries like craisins, because the texture is better for the recipe and its more authentic to the original as well
- white chocolate morsels – you’ll use this for in the bars, and drizzling on top. You can use white baking chips, or a chopped up white chocolate bar
- cream cheese – use a block of cream cheese, not the tub kind
- powdered sugar -sweetens and thickens the frosting
- coconut oil – this is optional for drizzling the white chocolate on top. You can leave it off, or use vegetable oil instead.
How to make homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and brown sugar together for a couple minutes. Add in the eggs, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
Step 2: Add in the dry ingredients. Add in the flour, cornstarch, orange zest, baking powder, ground ginger, salt, baking soda, and stir it together until just combined.
Step 3: Add in the mix-ins. Add in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and stir them evenly into the batter with a rubber spatula. Press the mixture evenly into a lined 9×13 baking pan.
Step 4: Bake the bars. Bake the bars in a pre-heated oven until the tops are golden and the centers are cooked through. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
Step 5: Make the frosting. In a medium bowl with a hand mixer, or with a stand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add in the powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
Step 6: Top the bars. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the bars. Sprinkle the additional dried cranberries, and orange zest on top of the frosting. Melt the white chocolate and coconut oil in the microwave until smooth. Drizzle over the top of the bars. Let the bars sit until the frosting is set, and slice the bars into squares, then cut them each in half in triangles.
Tips and Tricks
- Slice the bars – Lift the bars out of the pan by lifting the parchment paper. Slice the bars first in strips, then in squares, and then cut each square diagonally across the square from corner to corner.
- Orange Extract – Add 1 teaspoon of orange extract to the bars for a stronger orange flavor, if desired.
Storage Instructions
Store the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze the bars for up to 3 months, flash freeze them then you can stack them with layers of parchment paper between. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, or for a few ours before enjoying.
These homemade cranberry bliss bars are such a festive and delicious treat. With the tart cranberries, sweet white chocolate chips, and tangy cream cheese frosting – these bars are made to impress!
More Seasonal Recipes
If you try these White Chocolate Cranberry Bars , please leave a 🌟 rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
White Chocolate Cranberry Bars
Ingredients
For the Cookie Bars:
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 TBS cornstarch
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup white baking chips
For the Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For Topping the Bars:
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup white chocolate
- 1/2 tsp coconut oil (optional)
Instructions
For the Cookie Bars:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease with nonstick spray. Set it aside.
- Add the butter and brown sugar to a large bowl and mix them together for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
- Add in the eggs, and vanilla extract and stir until just combined. 2 large eggs, 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Add in the dry ingredients, flour, cornstarch, orange zest, baking powder, salt, ginger, and baking soda. Stir until you have a soft cookie dough. 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 TBS cornstarch, 1 tsp orange zest, 3/4 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp baking soda
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips until evenly mixed into the dough. 1 cup dried cranberries, 1/2 cup white baking chips
- Scoop the batter into the prepared pan, pressing the dough to the edges, and pressing the top down evenly.
- Bake the bars for 15 to 22 minutes minutes until the top is golden and the bars are baked through.
- Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let the bars cool completely.
For the Frosting:
- Cream together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. 8 oz cream cheese, 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- Add in the powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated. Mix for a couple minutes until the frosting is fluffy. 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled bars.
For Topping the Bars:
- Sprinkle additional cranberries over the top of the bars, then sprinkle orange zest over the top too. 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 tsp orange zest
- Add the white chocolate and coconut oil to a small microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20 second increments, stirring after each, until you can stir the chocolate smooth. 1/2 cup white chocolate , 1/2 tsp coconut oil
- Scoop the white chocolate into a ziplock bag and snip the corner off. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the bars.
- Slice the bars into squares, and then cut those each in half into triangles, and enjoy.
I’m sure glad I only had 5 of these bars and people to share them with, otherwise I might have eaten a whole pan. These are so good!!!! Definitely recommend making and eating.
Can I use real cranberries not dried
I haven’t tried them with this recipe because they’re not available every season, but I think it should work, the texture might change slightly with the extra moisture.
I haven’t tried these yet, but I will soon. One complaint though: Very annoying to have to go to the recipe for things that you don’t bother to put the name beside #1, #2, #3, etc. Time consuming when the name might tell me whether I have any interest in that item without taking the time to go to the recipe, then bavk to the list without names!
Sorry you’re not happy with those emails Marie. We will take that into consideration with future emails.