Bity
These cranberry bliss bars are my copycat of the Starbucks holiday favourite: a chewy brown sugar blondie studded with white chocolate and craisins, spread with a sweet cream cheese frosting and finished with more cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle. One 9×13 pan gives you 18 generous triangles, which is exactly what you want on a Christmas cookie tray.
In short, cranberry bliss bars are a white chocolate and cranberry blondie baked in a 9×13 pan at 350°F (175°C) for 20 to 30 minutes, cooled completely, then frosted with cream cheese and white chocolate. Expect about 15 minutes of prep and 25 minutes in the oven, plus cooling time; the pan makes 18 triangles at about 420 calories each.
The coffee shop version only shows up for a few weeks a year, and it is easy to miss. Making them at home means a whole tray for less than the price of a few slices, and honestly, the homemade base is softer and more buttery. A splash of orange extract is the quiet trick that makes them taste like the real thing.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love These Cranberry Bliss Bars
- A true copycat. The orange extract, the tangy frosting and the drizzle give these bars that familiar coffee shop flavour.
- One bowl for the base. Melted butter means no creaming and no waiting for butter to soften.
- Festive without fuss. Red cranberries on white frosting look like Christmas on a plate, with no piping skills needed.
- Feeds a crowd. One pan makes 18 triangles for parties, bake sales and cookie swaps.
- Make ahead friendly. The bars hold well in the fridge for days, so you can bake them before the busy week starts.
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter. 1 cup, melted. Melted butter gives the base its chewy, blondie texture rather than a cakey one.
- Brown sugar. 1 1/2 cups, packed. It brings the caramel note that sits so well with white chocolate.
- Eggs. 2 large, at room temperature so they blend smoothly into the warm butter.
- Orange and vanilla extract. 1 teaspoon of each. The orange is what makes the bars taste like the Starbucks version, so please do not skip it.
- Flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt and just 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon for warmth.
- Craisins. 3/4 cup in the base, plus 1/2 cup roughly chopped for the top.
- White baking chocolate. 12 ounces in total: 6 ounces chopped into the base and 6 ounces melted for the frosting and drizzle. A bar melts more smoothly than chips.
- Cream cheese and powdered sugar. 8 ounces of block cream cheese, softened, and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat them with a hand mixer until there are no lumps at all.
Because the frosting is made from fresh cream cheese, it needs the fridge. The University of Minnesota Extension explains that an uncooked cream cheese frosting only becomes shelf stable with a very high sugar ratio, far more powdered sugar than this recipe uses, so keep the bars chilled.
What Are Cranberry Bliss Bars?
Cranberry bliss bars are a holiday bar cookie made famous by Starbucks: a blondie base with dried cranberries and white chocolate, a cream cheese frosting, a scattering of chopped cranberries and a zigzag of white chocolate, cut into triangles. They are part cookie, part cake and very much a festive treat.
Here is how this homemade version compares with the coffee shop bar:
| Detail | Coffee shop bar | This homemade version |
|---|---|---|
| Base | Blondie with ginger notes | Brown sugar blondie with orange and a pinch of cinnamon |
| Frosting | Cream cheese frosting | Cream cheese, powdered sugar and melted white chocolate |
| Topping | Dried cranberries and white drizzle | Chopped craisins and a white chocolate drizzle |
| Yield | One slice per purchase | 18 triangles from one 9×13 pan |
Why Cut Them Into Triangles?
Triangles are the signature shape here. Cut the slab into 9 squares or rectangles first, then halve each one on the diagonal. You get 18 neat pieces that look smart on a platter and are easy to pick up.
How To Make Cranberry Bliss Bars
1. Prepare the pan. First, heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang so you can lift the slab out later.
2. Mix the wet ingredients. Next, stir the melted butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl until combined. Add the eggs with the orange and vanilla extracts and mix only until smooth.
3. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon so the leavening is evenly spread through.
4. Bring the batter together. Then add half of the dry mixture to the wet and stir until just combined, followed by the rest. Fold in the chopped white chocolate and the 3/4 cup of craisins.
5. Press and bake. After that, press the thick batter evenly into the lined pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is just turning golden brown. Let the base cool completely, ideally on a wire rack.
6. Melt the chocolate. When you are ready to frost, melt the remaining 6 ounces of white chocolate in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring between each one.
7. Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Add half of the melted white chocolate and beat again.
8. Frost and decorate. Finally, spread the frosting evenly over the cooled base and scatter the chopped craisins on top. Use a fork to drizzle the rest of the melted chocolate over the bars, then cut into squares or rectangles and halve them into triangles.
Why Did My Bars Turn Out Wrong?
Most problems with cranberry bliss bars come down to oven time, temperature or frosting too soon. Here are the usual culprits and the fixes:
- Dry, cakey base. The bars baked too long. Start checking at 20 minutes and pull them as soon as the top turns pale gold.
- Frosting melting or sliding. The base was still warm. Wait until it is completely cool, or chill it for 30 minutes first.
- Lumpy frosting. The cream cheese was too cold. Let it soften at room temperature before beating.
- Seized white chocolate. It overheated. Melt it in short bursts and stop while a few small pieces remain, then stir until smooth.
- Messy edges when slicing. Chill the frosted slab and wipe the knife between cuts.
Tips for the Best Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Weigh or spoon and level the flour. Too much flour is the fastest route to a dry base.
- Press the batter in with damp fingers, because it is thick and sticky.
- Chop the craisins for the topping so they sit flat and do not slide off the frosting.
- Chill the frosted slab for 30 minutes before cutting for the cleanest triangles.
- Use a fork or a small zip bag with the corner snipped for an even drizzle.
Storage and Make Ahead
- Fridge. Keep the bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Layer them with parchment so the frosting does not stick.
- Serving. Take them out about 15 minutes before serving for the softest bite, and do not leave them out for more than 2 hours.
- Freezer. Freeze the frosted bars on a tray until firm, then pack them in a container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Make ahead. Bake the base a day early, wrap it well once cool, then frost on the day.
Variations and Substitutions
- Fresh orange zest. Add the zest of one orange to the batter with the extract for a brighter citrus flavour.
- Ginger twist. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger to the dry ingredients for a little more spice.
- Nuts. Fold in 1/2 cup of chopped pecans or macadamias with the chocolate.
- Other dried fruit. Dried cherries work in place of craisins.
- A cheesecake style bar. If you love tangy cream cheese, my Christmas cheesecake bars are another make ahead holiday tray bake.
White chocolate behaves differently from dark when it melts, because it is mostly cocoa butter, sugar and milk solids. King Arthur Baking has a handy guide to how different frostings behave, including cream cheese frosting, if you want to understand why this one stays soft and spreadable.
What to Serve With Them
Cranberry bliss bars are sweet and rich, so pair them with something warm and spiced. A mug of my gingerbread chai is the closest you will get to the coffee shop experience at home.
For a holiday dessert table, set them beside ooey gooey butter cookies, and browse my roundup of Christmas treats for more ideas to fill the tray.
Frequently Asked Questions
Baking and Frosting
Do cranberry bliss bars need to be refrigerated?
Yes. The bars have a cream cheese frosting, so keep them in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days and do not leave them at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
How long do you bake cranberry bliss bars?
Bake them for 20 to 30 minutes at 350°F (175°C) in a 9×13 pan. They are ready when the top is just turning golden brown; the centre firms up as the base cools.
Why do cranberry bliss bars taste like orange?
The 1 teaspoon of orange extract in the batter gives the bars their gentle citrus note, which is what makes this version taste like the Starbucks bar.
Can I use white chocolate chips instead of baking chocolate?
Yes, in the base. For the frosting and drizzle, a white baking bar melts more smoothly, because chips contain stabilisers that help them hold their shape.
Storage and Serving
Can you freeze cranberry bliss bars?
Yes. Freeze the frosted bars on a tray until firm, then store them in an airtight container for up to 2 months and thaw them overnight in the fridge.
How many calories are in a cranberry bliss bar?
One homemade cranberry bliss bar has about 420 calories when the pan is cut into 18 triangles. That figure is an estimate from the recipe card.
How far ahead can I make cranberry bliss bars?
You can bake the base a day ahead and frost it the next day, or make the finished bars up to 4 days before serving and keep them chilled.
How do you cut cranberry bliss bars into triangles?
Chill the slab for 30 minutes, cut it into 9 squares or rectangles, then cut each one in half on the diagonal to make 18 triangles.
Ingredients
For the Bars
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 cup craisins
- 6 ounces white baking chocolate roughly chopped
For the Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 6 ounces white baking chocolate melted
- 1/2 cup craisins roughly chopped
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix the melted butter and brown sugar until combined. Add the eggs, orange extract and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, then repeat with the rest. Fold in the chopped white chocolate and 3/4 cup craisins.
- Press the mixture evenly into the lined pan. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until the top is beginning to turn golden brown. Cool completely.
- Melt the remaining white chocolate in the microwave in 20 second bursts, stirring in between.
- Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Add half of the melted white chocolate and mix again.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the bars and top with the chopped craisins. Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the top with a fork.
- Cut into squares or rectangles, then cut each in half on the diagonal to make triangles.
