Cranberry Bliss Bars

These Homemade chewy soft buttery Blondies are made with white chocolate, orange zest, warming spices and of course dried cranberries. They are coated with a cream cheese frosting, sprinkled with chopped dried cranberries and orange zest then drizzled with melted white chocolate. Easy and fun to make and enjoy at home - plus aren’t they so pretty?!?

What are Cranberry Bliss Bars?

They are a popular Starbucks treat that features a chewy blondie base with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, topped with orange-zest cream cheese frosting, more cranberries, and a white chocolate drizzle. Our version uses melted white chocolate in the blondie base to make them more traditionally a blondie and for better texture, we also add orange zest and some warm spices to the blondie batter for better flavor. The cream cheese frosting is similar. We add zest over top along with the cranberries instead of mixed in. We love how chewy and buttery and more flavourful our blondies are compared to the Starbucks version but we will let you be the judge of that. That is why we are not calling these copycat Starbucks cranberry bliss bars - cause we think homemade is always better!

Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe Ingredients

• BUTTER: Butter adds richness and I used unsalted butter - no need to soften because you will be melting it
• WHITE CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Brownies usually have dark chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate - blondies have white chocolate. I like to use white chocolate chips but chopped white chocolate works well too. It is melted for the batter, the frosting and also for drizzling over top the bars after. In this recipe I do not add the chocolate chips to the batter just the cranberries. Because the chocolate is melted into the batter I think it would be overkill and a little too sweet with the addition of chocolate chips but feel free to add some into the batter if you wish.
• CRANBERRIES: I use dried cranberries or craisins in this recipe.
• SUGAR: Sweetens the brownies and adds moisture - I use granulated sugar and brown sugar for the blondies and powdered sugar / confectioner’s sugar for the frosting.
• ORANGE ZEST: I like to add orange zest to the blondie batter and the frosting and garnish the frosting with it.
• EGGS: They help the structure of the batter and give it the color and flavoring. You will need 2 large eggs - room temperature
• FLOUR: I use all purpose flour for this recipe. Feel free to use a good gluten-free flour if you want to make these gluten free but the texture will be different - I have not tested it with GF flour
• BAKING POWDER: For leavening - ensure it is not expired.
• CORNSTARCH: Adding cornstarch to blondies makes them exceptionally soft and chewy by tenderizing the flour’s proteins and helping the batter remain moist during baking. It’s a common “secret” ingredient used to achieve a dense, fudgy, and desirable texture. A little goes a long way.
• SPICES: I like to add some warming spices to the batter and use ground cinnamon and ground ginger which go really well with the orange cranberry theme of these blondies. We went pretty conservative with the spices - please adjust amounts to taste.
• SALT: Just a little for flavor.
• VANILLA & ORANGE EXTRACT: The vanilla extract is essential and I don’t recommend skipping as it always adds the best flavour to any baked good. I use pure vanilla extra for best flavour. The orange extract is optional but adds more orange flavor to the brownies.
  
  

How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars

1. Prepare baking pan: Line with parchment paper and PREHEAT the oven
2. Prepare batter: Melt butter and white chocolate chips then whisk together with the sugars followed but the remaining wet ingredients: eggs, vanilla, orange extract, orange zest then the dry ingredients: flour, spices, salt, cornstarch and baking powder. Then fold in the cranberries.
3. Bake & cool: Transfer batter to prepared pan - spread out evenly (it will be thick so it might take a little work - may look like a thin layer but it will bake up perfect). Bake ( approx 25-30 minutes) until edges are golden brown and set then allow to cool on wire rack at room temperature.
4. Frost & garnish: Mix the frosting ingredients together, spoon and swirl over blondies, garnish with cranberry and orange zest and drizzle over melted white chocolate.
5. Chill & slice: Chilling is optional - you can enjoy them right away but the frosting will be soft and may be a little messy. Chill until ready to serve.
   
   

Cranberry Bliss Bar/ Blondie Tips

• This recipe comes together very quickly especially once the butter and white chocolate are melted so I suggest that you have all your ingredients measured and ready to go. See more in recipe notes below.
• Do not over mix blondies once the flour mixture is added. That will result in a cakey or tough brownie texture, so it’s best to give everything a super gentle mix for the flour.
• Do Not Over Bake Blondies. A few things I have learned about brownies is cooking time matters and the fat you use matters, as well as the sugar you use. If you want this kind of texture in your brownies the key is to not over bake them. You want to get them out of the oven as soon as the middle is set but still moist but not gooey. You don’t want them super under baked either -there is a sweet spot.
• Another thing I learned that is also a must to getting that chewy texture is chilling the brownies for a good hour or so right after they come out of the oven. Sounds crazy but it works and it also makes cutting them into perfect squares a lot easier. You can definitely allow them cool at room temperature too. These bars need to be stored in the fridge so you get that benefit regardless.
• For that crackly topping make sure to really vigorously whip the eggs into the batter. The crackly top looks a little more subtle in these blondies just cause they are lighter in colour.
  
  

Cranberry Bliss Bars Storage & Freezing

• STORAGE: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. The cream cheese frosting means they should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours to prevent spoilage and maintain freshness. If stacking the bars, place a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers to prevent the frosting from sticking. For the best texture and flavor, let the bars sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
• FREEZING: If bars are already frosted - Slice and arrange them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet then flash freeze them until firm (1 hour or so). Once solid, wrap each individual bar tightly in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or bag. Freeze for 1-2 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before serving. For the FRESHEST taste I recommend freezing the blondies unfrosted. If you are freezing the blondies alone with no frosting you can freeze the entire base - cool completely then wrap the whole unfrosted base tightly in plastic wrap, plus an extra layer of aluminum foil or and into a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for 1-2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then frost, decorate, and slice fresh before serving.
  
  

Some of The Best Bars On The Blog:

• Easy Pecan Pie Bars
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• Creamy Pumpkin Pie Bars
• Pecan Pie Cheesecake Bars
• Apple Crumble Cheesecake Bars
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bars
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