Enjoy a healthier twist on your favorite Starbucks treat with these lightened-up Cranberry Bliss Bars! This copycat recipe combines cranberries, creamy white chocolate, and a luscious cream cheese frosting in this better, homemade version. Perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime you crave a festive dessert.
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Looking for more holiday cookie recipes? Check out Cranberry Orange Cookies, Vegan Gingerbread Cookies, and Holiday Sugar Cookies!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Copycat Starbucks cranberry bliss bars are much better for you!
- Chewy blondies meet cream cheese frosting for a delicious holiday treat.
- This homemade version beats any drive-thru coffee order!
Recipe Ingredients
The ingredients list for these cranberry bliss bars may look like a lot, but you probably have most of them at home in your Healthy Baking Pantry. We will need:
- white whole wheat flour – I like the texture of the buttery blondie base with white whole wheat flour. You can use 1/2 all-purpose flour and 1/2 whole wheat flour with similar results.
- baking soda – for lift and to promote a golden brown color.
- fine sea salt – to enhance all those tart cranberry flavors.
- ground spices – a mix of ground cinnamon and ground ginger gives just the right amount of warmth.
- melted butter – you can use unsalted butter or vegan butter if you’re looking for a dairy free friendly option. Coconut oil would likely work but I haven’t tested that myself.
- sugar – granulated sugar makes these sweet cookie bars.
- brown sugar – you can use light brown sugar or dark brown sugar, whichever you have on hand.
- egg + egg white – the mixture of a whole egg and egg whites provides a rich yet light texture.
- vanilla extract – to round out all those holiday flavors.
- orange juice – just two tablespoons adds a little orange flavor in the cookie bar base and creates a soft texture.
- dried cranberries – we will need dried cranberries for the blondie layer and for the topping.
- white chocolate chips – white chocolate chips add pop to the soft blondies. If you want to give it that Starbucks feel, melt some extra for a drizzle of white chocolate. They do make vegan white chocolate chis if needed.
- cream cheese – room temperature full-fat cream cheese will provide the best texture. Again, sub a dairy-free version as needed.
- powdered sugar – confectioners’ sugar creates a smooth and silky frosting.
- orange zest – orange zest gives these cuties an extra pop and compliments the cranberries.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
How to Make
If you were looking for a recipe for Starbucks cranberry bliss bars, you have come to the right place. Here are the step-by-step instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Mix dry ingredients: Combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger in a small bowl.
mix wet ingredients: Melt butter in a small microwave-safe bowl on half power until fully melted. Cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until fluffy and smooth.
Then, add the egg, egg white, and vanilla extract, whisking until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, along with the orange juice. Stir a few times, then fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Transfer the blondie batter to the prepared pan. Push the batter evenly into all four corners with damp hands.
NOTE: This dough is thick like cookie dough, just be patient as you work the batter into the pan.
Bake bars for 13-18 minutes, until edges are risen and the center looks slightly glossy.
Cool the entire pan of bars for 45 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling is not optional!
Then spread on the cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with chopped cranberries and orange zest, too.
How do These Compare to Starbucks?
Overall this cranberry bliss bar recipe is very similar to the Starbucks version! This homemade version is more like a blondie cookie bar (not spongey really), and has a silkier cream cheese frosting. The flavors are more fresh as well.
TIP: If you want the Starbucks look, drizzle melted white chocolate on top. For easy drizzling, transfer the melted white chocolate to a small plastic bag, snip off the corner tip to make a small hole, and drizzle.
How to Cut Blondies into Triangles
Cut into 4 large squares with a large sharp knife. Then, cut each square in half diagonally (now you have 8 large triangles).
Finally, cut each of the triangles diagonally so you end up with 16 triangles.
Tips & Tricks
Here are some of my tips for making the best cranberry bliss bars recipe:
- do not over mix: be careful not to overmix or you will end up with tough blondie bars.
- size of the baking dish matters: This recipe is bests with a 9×9 metal baking pan for best results. An 8×8-inch baking dish will make the bars too thick, while a 13-inch baking pan is too big. An 11×7-inch baking pan can also work, but the bars will be thinner.
- long cooling time is intentional: the cranberry bars must cool completely to set properly.
- use room temperature cream cheese: room temperature cream cheese makes a lighter frosting.
Serving Suggestions
Nothing beats a rich and gooey cranberry bliss bar during the holiday season. The cranberry and orange flavors really compliment each other, while the white chocolate adds that special cocoa butter sweetness.
Enjoy with the family, bring to Christmas parties, or wrap them in cellophane and gift to all your family and friends!
How to Store
Leftover cranberry bars will keep covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Remove from the fridge 5 minutes beforehand to take the chill off.
Recipe FAQs
What’s in the cranberry bliss bar from Starbucks?
Cranberry bliss bars are part of the chain’s festive menu (along with the brand-new holiday drinks). They have a white chocolate cranberry blondie base that’s topped with a cream cheese frosting, cranberries, and white chocolate drizzle.
Are cranberry bliss bars seasonal?
At Starbucks, yes. But now that you have this homemade version, you can make this cranberry bliss bar recipe any time of year!
Can I freeze cranberry bliss bars?
Yes! Pop them in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or right on the kitchen counter.
More Christmas Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Let me know if you make this Cranberry Bliss Bars recipe by leaving a comment and rating below! It helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour, 250g weighed
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg white
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- ¾ cup white chocolate chips
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅔ cup confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons chopped dried cranberries
- zest of 1 orange
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF and line a 9×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger. Set aside.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large glass bowl, melt butter on half power in 30 second increments, until fully melted. Allow to cool for 5 minutes then add granulated sugar and brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Add the egg, egg white and vanilla extract, whisking until fully combined and mixture is smooth.
- Combine: Add in bowl of dry ingredients and orange juice, stirring a few times, then fold in cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Bake: Transfer batter to lined baking pan, making sure to get the batter into all four corners – the batter is pretty thick, you can use slightly damp hands to help push the batter evenly into the pan. Bake bars for 13-18 minutes, OR until edges are slightly risen and center looks glossy. Don't over-bake or your bars will be dry.
- Cool: Allow bars to cool in the pan for 45 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Bars must cool completely before frosting.
- Frosting: Once bars have cooled, make the frosting by using an electric mixer to whip the softened cream cheese until creamy. Add in the confectioners sugar and vanilla extract, mixing again on low speed until frosting is smooth. Spread frosting on cooled bars, then top with chopped cranberries and orange zest. For the finish, top with melted white chocolate drizzle (optional but gives them the Starbucks look.)
- To cut into triangles, use a large sharp knife and cut into 4 squares. Then cut diagonally, corner to corner, so you end up with 8 triangles. Finally, cut each of the triangles diagonally, so you now have 16 triangles.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
Photography by: Monica Stevens Le
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