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Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a copycat version of the bars you find at Starbucks. These bars are festive, sweet and the perfect holiday treat. The bars mix together white chocolate with dried cranberries and are topped with a cream cheese frosting. These would be great in holiday gift tins too! 

Cranberry Bliss Bars on wire rack

CRANBERRY BLISS BARS

If you frequent Starbucks at all you might have tried their Cranberry Bliss Bars. They are so good and pretty easy to make at home! 

If you were to ask me what my top five favorites foods are, cranberries would be one of them.

You might remember the other day when I shared this Cranberry Wine Spritzer with you guys. I must have cranberries on the brain lately. 

My family thinks its funny how much I love cranberries.

I think you are either a lover or a hater when it comes to those tart, sweet beauties. At the holidays I make at least ten batches of homemade Cranberry Orange Sauce.

This delicious dessert is festive and a great gift to add to holiday tins or serve your guests at your holiday table. 

You will especially love the cream cheese frosting mixed with white chocolate.

The perfect holiday treat if you ask me! 

Cranberry Bliss Bars ingredients

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THESE BARS?

WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS: The bars use white chocolate chips or chunks of white chocolate.

The cream cheese frosting uses white baking chocolate as a part of the frosting. I love white chocolate actually more than regular chocolate. Some people would call me crazy!

If you are a lover of white chocolate you also need to try these White Chocolate Toasted Coconut Cookies or these Oatmeal White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

DRIED CRANBERRIES: The dried cranberries are also both in the bars and in the frosting.

I love the sweet flavor they add to these bars. If you like dried cranberries you also need to try these Almond Energy Bites or this Coconut Cranberry Chia Seed Granola

CREAM CHEESE: The frosting is made with cream cheese and is the best part in my opinion.

It is the perfect match for the bars. 

Cranberry Bliss Bars on plate

HOW DO YOU MAKE THESE CRANBERRY BARS?

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 13×9 -inch baking dish with nonstick spray. In a medium-size bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

Cranberry Bliss Bars dry ingredients

In another bowl mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones in 2 batches, until the batter is well mixed.

Cranberry Bliss Bars in bowl

Fold in the white chocolate chips and the dried cranberries and mix well.

Cranberry Bliss Bars in bowl

Spread the batter onto the baking pan and press down with the back of a spatula to even out the batter.

Cranberry Bliss Bars in pan

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely.

Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting; in a large bowl beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended.

Cranberry Bliss Bars with cream cheese

Frost the (cooled down) bars with the cream cheese frosting and sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries on top. Drizzle with the melted white chocolate.

When the white chocolate cools down and sets, cut into 9 large squares, then cut easy square diagonally to create triangles.

Cranberry Bliss Bars on white board

CAN YOU MAKE THIS CRANBERRY BLISS BAR RECIPE GLUTEN-FREE?

Yes, and in order to do so all you have to do is swap the all purpose flour to a gluten free baking flour mix. I would recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten free 1-1 baking flour.

HOW DO YOU STORE BLISS BARS?

Once the bars are sliced, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

CAN YOU FREEZE STARBUCKS CRANBERRY BLISS BARS?

Yes you can. Prepare them and slice as directed and then place the bars in the refrigerator for at least a couple of hours. Then cover tightly in a container with plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the bars in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Cranberry Bliss Bars on rack

OTHER CRANBERRY RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:

WARM BRIE CRANBERRY NAAN

HAM CHEESE AND CRANBERRY ROLLUPS 

OVERNIGHT EGGNOG FRENCH TOAST BAKE WITH CRANBERRY MAPLE SYRUP

CRANBERRY COCNUT OATMEAL COOKIE BARS

Cranberry Bliss Bars in a stack

Cranberry Bliss Bars on plate

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Yield: 18 triangles
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a copycat version of the bars you find at Starbucks. These bars are festive, sweet and the perfect holiday treat. The bars mix together white chocolate with dried cranberries and are topped with a cream cheese frosting. These would be great in holiday gift tins too! 

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ⅔ cup granulated white sugar
  • ⅔ cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 1 cup {9 ounces} cream cheese, softened 
  • 1/2 cup confectioners sugar {powdered sugar}
  • 1/3 cup white baking chocolate, melted 
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped  
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla 

Instructions

    1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly spray a 13x9 -inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
    2. In a medium-size bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
    3. In another bowl mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract.
    4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones in 2 batches, until the batter is well mixed.
    5. Fold in the white chocolate chips and the dried cranberries and mix well.
    6. Spread the batter onto the baking pan and press down with the back of a spatula to even out the batter.
    7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the edges are golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let it cool completely.
    8. Meanwhile, prepare the cream cheese frosting; in a large bowl beat with a hand mixer the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until well blended.
    9. Frost the (cooled down) bars with the cream cheese frosting and sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries on top. Drizzle with the melted white chocolate.
    10. When the white chocolate cools down and sets, cut into 9 large squares, then cut easy square diagonally to create triangles.
    11. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  • To melt the white chocolate, place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 10 seconds and stir, then for another 10 second and stir until the chocolate is nice and melted. Be very careful as white chocolate burns and melts faster than milk or dark chocolate.
  • Don’t overbake the batter. Even a few more minutes of baking time will result in a crumbly, dried out bar.
  • Add some orange zest to the cream cheese frosting and/or to the batter. It’s totally optional but it will elevate your frosting and the subtle hints of citrus work wonders in this recipe. Not only that but orange and cranberries are a match made in heaven.

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[…] cranberry recipe. It seems to be all things cranberries around here. I have recently shared these Cranberry Bliss Bars and a Cranberry Wine […]

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