Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry bliss bars are decadent and divine down to every last crumb. These festive dessert bars boast a tender blondie base that’s topped with rich white chocolate and cream cheese frosting plus dried cranberries.

Why this recipe works

This cranberry bliss bars recipe is a homemade copycat version of Starbucks’ ever-popular seasonal dessert. The blondie base is elevated with a dash of orange oil for sweetness while the dried cranberries and white chocolate cream cheese frosting work to tie all the flavors together. Garnish with a drizzle of extra melted white chocolate and cranberries to create a gorgeous treat for your holiday dessert table.

Anything with cranberries makes my mouth water but waiting until autumn to enjoy those sweet-tart morsels is less than ideal. Cranberry caramel bars and white chocolate cranberry cookies take a cozy nap in my oven as soon as I can get my hands on fresh seasonal berries. However, these cranberry bliss bars are made with dried cranberries, which means you can whip up a batch year-round if you wanted! That’s a huge win in our book.

Ingredients you will need

Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.

Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions

FROSTING – Orange oil is potent and adds wonderful flavor with just a few drops. If you prefer to use orange extract, you will want to use a bit more. You can also use orange zest in the batter or over the top of the bars. The frosting is a cross between cream cheese frosting and white chocolate frosting. It’s made of cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange oil with 1/2 cup of melted white chocolate mixed in. It’s decadent and pairs extremely well with the blondie base and dried cranberries!

CHOCOLATE – You can adjust the amount of white chocolate chips and/or dried cranberries to your liking. You can substitute a white chocolate bar for the chips if desired.

How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars

These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 metal baking pan with parchment paper, spray with nonstick baking spray, and set it aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
3. Add vanilla extract, orange oil, and eggs. Whisk until fully combined.
4. Stir together the salt, flour, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
5. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
6. Spread into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool completely.
8. Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange oil with a handheld mixer until fluffy and smooth.
9. Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave by heating for 30 seconds at a time, and stirring until smooth. Add half of the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined.
10. Lift cooled bars from the baking pan by lifting the parchment paper.
11. Spread the frosting over the bars. Sprinkle dried cranberries over the top of the frosting.
12. Cut into triangles. Drizzle with remaining melted chocolate.

Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips

Store the bars in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag kept at room temperature for 3-5 days.

Yes, you can easily freeze these bars. To do so, wrap them well in plastic wrap then transfer the bars into a large ziptop bag. You can also layer them with parchment paper in an air-tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.

Serving Suggestions

Cranberry bliss bars are a delectable little treat to enjoy alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or milk in the mornings or to pack into lunches. Of course, they’re also a delicious option for cookie swaps around the holidays as well!

Though these bars are mostly enjoyed during the fall and winter months, the best part about the homemade version is that you can make them year-round – especially because they use dried cranberries instead of fresh.

More Cranberry Recipes

• Cranberry Holiday Punch
• Cranberry Coffee Cake
• Cranberry Orange Spiral Cookies
• Cranberry Cream Cheese Pastries
• White Chocolate Cranberry Fudge

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