If you love Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, I can do you one better! This Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars recipe is just like the one Starbucks serves during the holidays. It’s loaded with cranberries, white chocolate, orange zest and topped with a thick, delicious layer of cream cheese frosting. Perfect for your holiday parties and cookie exchanges!
Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars – the perfect Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe!
If you’ve ever been to Starbucks during the holidays, then you’ve likely tried or seen their Cranberry Bliss Bars. These bars are a blondie cookie bar baked with white chocolate chips, orange zest and cranberries. The cranberry bars are topped with a generous layer of cream cheese frosting, more cranberries and a drizzle of white chocolate. They are decadent and completely delicious!
This holiday season I wanted to bring you my copycat recipe that you can make right at home. The simple steps are as follows:
Step 1: Mix together the blondie batter
This blondie batter is very simple to make, and uses melted butter versus softened butter. The consistency is very smooth and creamy. Add the white chocolate chips and the dried cranberries.
Step 2: Fold the batter together to incorporate the white chocolate chips & cranberries
The batter, even though smooth, will be rather thick. Fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries, just until incorporated. Don’t overmix as the white chocolate chips could begin to break apart.
Step 3: Prepare a 9″ x 9″ square pan, preheat oven
Cut parchment paper into two long 9″ strips. Place each strip into the pan and fold the edges over. I like to secure the parchment paper with binder clips, as this helps the paper stay in place when adding the batter.
This is also a good time to preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 4: Spread Batter into the prepared pan
Spread the batter evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan using a rubber scraper. Make sure to press the batter evenly into the corners.
Once the batter is spread, the binder clips can be removed. (Most binder clips are not oven safe.)
Step : Bake the Blondie
Once the batter is in the pan, bake the blondie at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown, and slighly wrinkled (see below.)
Step 5: Frost the Blondie
Once the blondie comes out of the oven, let it cool to room temperature.
While cooling, mix together the cream cheese frosting. Top the cooled blondie with the frosting, and spread evenly with a rubber scraper or frosting spatula. Top with the additional dried cranberries. Refrigerate the frosted cranberry bars to set the frosting.
I recommend refrigerating the frosted bars for at least 2 hours. This helps the bars slice and cut more uniformly.
Pro-Tip: Be sure to check out my post for tips and tricks on How To Make Amazing Cream Cheese Frosting
Slice and serve the Cranberry Bars!
Cut into standard squares, or if you wish, cut each square diagonally into triangles. A triangular cut is how Starbucks serves their Cranberry Bliss Bars.
Do you love cookie bars? Check out our other bar recipes:
- White Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies
- Vanilla Fudge Recipe
- M&M Oatmeal Cookie Bars
- Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookie Bars
- Funfetti Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- M&M Cookie Bars
- Monster Cookie Bars
FAQ’s About Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cranberry Bliss Bars are a sweet treat that is served by Starbucks during the holidays. It’s a blondie cookie bar baked with white chocolate chips, orange zest and cranberries. It is topped with a layer of cream cheese frosting with orange zest and sprinkled with dried cranberries and drizzled with white chocolate.
Do cranberry bliss bars need to be refrigerated?
It is helpful to keep cranberry bliss bars refrigerated to keep the frosting set. The bars will keep longer when refrigerated in an airtight container. However, the bars can be kept at room temperature.
Yes, you can definitely freeze cranberry bliss bars. Slice the bars and package in a container, separating with a layer of waxed paper to keep the bars from sticking together. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw by letting sit at room temperature overnight or for 4-6 hours.
Want to try making your own Dried Cranberries?
Check out my post for How to Make Dried Cranberries recipe! No dehydrator necessary – just 3 ingredients and your oven does the work.
These dried cranberries are great in salads, cookies, bars (like these cranberry bliss bars!), homemade granola & granola bars, and stirring into yogurt and oatmeal.
Love using cranberries during the holidays? Check out some of my other cranberry recipes and ideas:
If you loved these Cranberry Bars, then be sure to check out some of my other similar cranberry treats:
White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Love Starbucks recipes? Here are some other Starbucks treats that I’ve recreated:
- Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino
- Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino
- Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino Recipe
- Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Recipe
- Skinny Starbucks Eggnog Latte Recipe
- Starbucks Pink Drink Recipe
- Better Than Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf
- Starbucks Copycat Salted Caramel Mocha
- White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Skinny Starbucks Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino
- Healthier Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Here’s the recipe for these Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars:
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Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars
Equipment
- 9 x 9 Pan This non-stick 9 x 9" pan is fantastic for no bake desserts, as well as bars, brownies and more!
- Parchment Paper Sheets These pre-cut parchment paper sheets are super convenient and the perfect size for lining pans. No stick, easy release every time!
- Glass Mixing Bowls Ideal for cooking and baking, and great for anything that needs to go into a microwave.
Ingredients
Cranberry Blondie Base:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), melted
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips melted
- 1 (8 oz. pkg.) cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
Topping:
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 4 oz. white chocolate baking bar melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9×9″ pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In separate bowl, melt the butter. To the melted butter, add the brown sugar, egg, vanilla and orange zest. Whisk together well. Gradually add in the flour mixture and mix until batter is smooth. Fold in the 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and the 2/3 cup of white chocolate chips.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, making sure to press the batter evenly into the corners of the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until the blondie is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
- While the blondie is cooling, mix together the frosting. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese, vanilla, orange juice and orange zest. Gradually add in the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the melted white chocolate. Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cooled blondie.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of dried cranberries over the top of the frosting. Melt the white chocolate baking bar, and drizzle over the top of the cranberries and frosting.
- Refrigerate the bars for at least 2 hours to set the frosting. Slice and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
My husband caught a glimpse of these as I was scrolling by and now I’ll be making them! Thanks for sharing your recipe with us at the Creative Muster. Looking forward to seeing what you’ll be sharing next week. Pinned!
Robin 🦃
I couldn’t reѕist commenting. Perfectⅼy written!
These bars are amazing!! I couldn’t keep my fingers out of the icing while I was mixing it up!😂 They are quite simple and so delicious! Love the marriage of fresh orange and cranberry! And the white chocolate makes it irresistible! My husband and friends loved them!