Cranberry Bliss Bars
Cranberry Bliss Bars inspired by the ones you love from Starbucks! This homemade version is filled with white chocolate, a hint of orange flavor and plenty of dried cranberries.
Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 1 cup salted butter
- 1 3/4 cups brown sugar (tightly packed)
- 2 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Topping
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (left whole)
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips (melted)
- 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
Instructions
Cookie Base
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9” by 13” baking pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and orange extract. Mix until combined and set this aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring only as much as necessary to blend.
- Gently fold in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Spread the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Check with a toothpick. You want there to be just a few crumbs stuck on the toothpick which means it is ready to come out. If it is still quite wet, give it another 5 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the bars to cool completely.
Frosting
- While the bars are cooling, prepare the frosting.Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Beat in the icing sugar and cornstarch. Add in the vanilla extract, orange zest, and salt. Beat this until well blended.
- When the bars are cooled, spread the icing all over the top. Then sprinkle evenly with the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
Topping
- In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the vegetable oil. Melt and stir in 15 second intervals – chocolate can burn very quickly.
- When this is fully melted, use a fork to beat it smooth, then use the fork to drizzle the melted chocolate over the frosted bars. For best results, place the pan in the fridge and allow the finished bars to cool for an hour before cutting and removing from the pan.
Notes
Please read complete post for advice, tips, ingredient discussion, substitutions and answers to FAQs.
Storage – These bars should be kept refrigerated. Place them in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 326kcalCarbohydrates: 47gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 159mgPotassium: 103mgFiber: 1gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 386IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 1mg
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.