If you like the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, then you’ll LOVE this Cranberry Bliss Fudge! Made with white chocolate, lemon zest, and bejeweled with cranberries, it will be your new favorite holiday treat. The perfect Christmas candy!
A couple weeks ago, while I was at Starbucks, I indulged in one of their delicious Cranberry Bliss Bars. If you’ve never had one before, they are quite delicious. It’s like a blondie, flavored with lemon, cranberries and white chocolate chunks, and then topped with a delicious cream cheese frosting and topped with more white chocolate chunks, lemon zest and cranberries. Starbucks also cleverly cuts these treats into delicious little triangles, which I have to admit, adds to the charm. While eating the bar, I really savored the flavors, and thought, what if I turned this bar into fudge? Well, after a few test batches, I turned that thought into reality, and here we have Cranberry Bliss Fudge!
I must say, the flavor of this fudge is even BETTER than the Starbucks bar. To the white chocolate fudge, I added lemon juice and lemon zest, which really creates a nice freshness to an otherwise rich candy. The dried cranberries also add a subtle tartness and a chewiness. Not only did I mix these into the fudge, I also added them to the top which provides a fabulous color to the treat!
The fudge is fairly simple to make. There is no cooking and just requires some simple ingredients. I did utilize my stand mixer to mix the base of the fudge, which helped speed up the mixing process. Once all of the fudge is mixed and you’ve topped it with the white chocolate chips, cranberries and lemon zest, I would recommend refrigerating or freezing. It makes it much easier to cut . I also utilized a wet knife for cutting, as the fudge is a bit sticky when it comes to room temperature.
To keep with the charm of the Starbucks treat, I decided to also cut the fudge into cute little triangles. However, don’t feel like you have to – the fudge is still really delicious cut into traditional squares. You could also use a mini-scoop, roll into balls and have little Cranberry Bliss truffles! Once you have the cut pieces of fudge, I would recommend mini-cupcake liners to serve the fudge, especially if you’ll be serving these on a dessert tray. As the fudge comes to room temperature, it will tend to get a bit more sticky, so the liners will help keep the fudge in pieces.
Here’s the easy recipe for this delicious Cranberry Bliss Fudge:
Erin Indahl-Fink
Yields 18-24
If you like the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, then you'll LOVE this Cranberry Bliss Fudge! Made with white chocolate, lemon zest, and bejeweled with cranberries, it will be your new favorite holiday treat. The perfect Christmas candy!
30 minPrep Time
30 minTotal Time
Save RecipeIngredients
- 8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. lemon zest (zest of 1/2 lemon)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips, melted
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries
- For topping:
- 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
- 1/2 c. dried cranberries
- 2 tsp. lemon zest (zest of 1/2 lemon)
Instructions
- Line an 8x8 pan with waxed or parchment paper, folding the excess paper over the sides of the pan. Spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- With a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese, milk, vanilla, lemon juice, zest, and salt. Beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides. Mixture will begin to get thicker.
- Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave (follow package directions for melting). Once the chocolate is fully melted, let cool for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, add the melted chocolate to the sugar mixture and hand-stir until completely combined. Mixture will begin to get stiff. Lastly, stir in the dried cranberries. Add the fudge mixture to the prepared 8x8 pan, and spread evenly. Top with the remaining white chocolate chips, cranberries and lemon zest. Refrigerate or freeze for at least 4 hours, before cutting. Keep leftovers in fridge or freezer.
With just a few steps, you’ll have a delicious, decadent holiday candy that everyone will love. This fudge is perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, holiday candy & cookie trays, and even gifts for friends and neighbors.
I hope you enjoy this delicious fudge. Happy Holidays from my family to yours!
Erin
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