Published: · Modified: by Kelly · This post may contain affiliate links · 54 Comments
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These Cranberry Bliss Bars are blissful, indeed! A moist, chewy blondie packed with tart, dried cranberries and chunks of white chocolatetopped with asweet, cream cheese and white chocolate frosting with a hint of zesty orange, then topped with more tart dried cranberries and a drizzle of white chocolate.
this recipe!
While Starbucks' Cranberry Bliss Bars are a seasonal treat showing up only during the holiday season, you can indulge in them year-round with this quick and easy, homemade recipe.
The key to moist, chewy Cranberry Bliss Bars is not over-baking them. They should be golden brown around the edges, and the tops should be just set, shiny, and beginning to show small cracks. They will seem a bit under-done inside, but when they cool they will firm up and be dense and chewy.
Browning the butter gives a richer, nuttier flavor to the blondie base. Once the butter begins to bubble, don't take your eyes off of it. It will go from a rich, nutty golden brown to a bitter, burned black in a matter of seconds. Using a light colored pan to brown the butter in allows you to see the color of the milk solids as they change color. The butter will foam as it bubbles; as you stir move the foam out of the way so you can see the milk solids changing color.
Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
5 from 12 reviews
- Author: Kelly
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 servings 1x
Description
A moist, chewy blondie packed with tart, dried cranberries and chunks of white chocolatetopped with asweet, cream cheese and white chocolate frosting with a hint of zesty orange, then topped with more tart dried cranberries and a drizzle of white chocolate.
Ingredients
UnitsScale
Blondie base:
- 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour ((7.5oz, 213g))
- 1 teaspoon baking powder ((3g))
- ½ teaspoon table salt ((3g))
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter ((6oz, 170g))
- 1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar ((10.5 oz, 298g))
- 2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest ((3g))
- ¾ cup dried cranberries (loosely packed (3.5oz, 100g))
- 1 ⅓ cups white chocolate (chopped or white chocolate chips (8oz, 227g))
For the frosting:
- 1 ⅔ cups white chocolate (melted (10oz, 283g))
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened (227g))
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar (sifted (6oz, 170g))
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest ((3g))
For topping:
- ½ cup dried cranberries (loosely packed (2.3oz, 65g))
- ⅔ cup white chocolate (melted (4oz,113g))
Instructions
For the Blondie:
- Adjust oven rack to middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Brown the butter
- In a light colored saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. As you continue heating the butter, it will begin to bubble and foam. Stir continuously, pushing the foam out of the way so that you can see the milk solids as they change color. When they turn a golden brown, turn off the heat and transfer the butter to a bowl so that it stops cooking. Let cool.
- Combine flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.
- Combine the cooled, melted butter (including the browned solids) and brown sugar together in medium bowl until combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and orange zest and mix well.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold dry ingredients into egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in chocolate and dried cranberries and turn batter into prepared pan, smoothing top with rubber spatula.
- Bake until top is shiny, cracked, and light golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes; do not overbake. Cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove bars from pan.
For the frosting:
- Combine the frosting ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until well mixed and fluffy.
- Spread frosting on the cooled bars.
For the topping:
- Sprinkle dried cranberries over the frosting. You can roughly chop the cranberries if they are too big.
- Drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosting and dried cranberries *see note
- Cut into triangles.
Notes
*To drizzle the melted chocolate over the frosting there are several options: Use a piping bag with a plain, round, small tip. Put the melted chocolate into a ziplock bag and cut a very small hole into the corner and use like a piping bag. Dip a fork into the melted chocolate and drizzle it on.
*Plain melted butter can be used instead of browned butter.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 363
- Sugar: 41.4 g
- Sodium: 112.9 mg
- Fat: 17.9 g
- Carbohydrates: 48.9 g
- Protein: 3.5 g
- Cholesterol: 45.8 mg
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Reader Interactions
Comments
Terri
These taste delicious. Just a note, I believe I whipped the frosting too long which put more air into the frosting which is generally a desirable thing, not so much in this recipe. I will leave the frosting layer more dense the next time I make these. They are a little too messy with fluffy frosting.
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked them, Terri! Thanks so much!
Reply
Amanda
These are so fricken yummy!!! Do they need to be refridgerated? I am assuming so but I didn’t read anywhere that said they needed to be.
Reply
Kelly
Hi Amanda! Yes they should be refrigerated. So happy you liked them! Thanks so much!
Reply
Renee Thomas
These were amazing! I added some sliced almonds to the top, just for a little extra crunch (and I needed to differentiate them a little bit more from Starbucks)! They are delicious…my new dessert to bring for holiday parties!!
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked them, Renee! The almonds on top sound great! Thanks so much!
Reply
Carlianne Hodges
How long do they last? Do I leave them out or refrigerate?
See AlsoCarrot Ginger Miso SoupReply
Kelly
Hi Carlianne! They should be stored in the refrigerator since the frosting contains cream cheese. They should stay good about 5 days or so.
Reply
Debi
Can I use fresh/frozen cranberries? If yes what changes do I need (might) have to make it happen ?
Reply
Kelly
Hi Debi, I haven't tried this recipe with fresh or frozen cranberries. From experience, baking with fresh or frozen fruit adds moisture which can create sogginess, especially in a cookie or cookie-like dough (like this one is). You could try drying the cranberries to remove some of the moisture, as shown here.
Reply
Penny
My youngest daughter mentioned how much she enjoyed this Starbucks treat but they were often out of stock when she went in. I found your recipe and she was delighted at the results and the $$$ she’ll save. This will be a new Christmas tradition in our house.
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked it, Penny! thanks so much!
Reply
Momma J
Made these today with my son , who flew in from university for the holidays . We had lots of fun, we followed recipe . Note: used mandarin zest and juice it made the frosting a light orange and a bit sweeter. We browned the butter . Wow, what a great difference it made instead of just melted butter . Instant hit!!
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked it!
Reply
Trysta
How long do they keep in a fridge?
Reply
Kelly
Hi Trysta, They keep for about 5 days in the fridge.
Reply
Alicia
I cant wait to try!! My co workers are excited too! lol
Reply
Kelly
Hope you like it, Alicia!
Reply
Yvette Hegler
Just made these today and they are delicious. The frosting was more than what you need to cover the bars but I’m going to use the frosting to cover cookies because it’s delicious. Thank you for such a great easy recipe.
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked them, Yvette! Thanks so much!
Reply
Bethany
This recipe really does taste like the original & satisfied my craving!
Reply
Kelly
So happy you liked it, Bethany! Thanks so much!
Reply
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