Description
These Cranberry Bliss Bars are the copycat version of the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars. Creamy white chocolate, tart cranberries, and hints of orange and ginger make this blondie the perfect holiday treat.
Ingredients
Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
- 2 1/4 cups (293g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 1/2 cups (337g) packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
- 1 cup (169g) white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup (120g) dried cranberries
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (288g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 cup (80g) dried cranberries, chopped
- 2–3 oz white chocolate bars or almond bark, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Leave enough parchment paper sticking over the long sides of the pan so that you can use it to remove the bars from the pan later.
- To make the blondie base, add the flour, baking powder, ground ginger, and salt to a medium-sized bowl, whisk together and set aside.
- Add the melted butter and brown sugar to a large bowl and whisk together to combine.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange juice and whisk together until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and gently fold them together to combine.
- Add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries and fold them together until incorporated throughout.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until set in the middle and golden around the edges. Remove from oven and allow the blondie to cool completely.
- To make the frosting, add the cream cheese to a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and mix until well combined. Add the vanilla extract and orange zest and mix until well combined.
- Spread the frosting evenly on top of the cooled blondie base.
- Sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries evenly over the bars and drizzle with the melted white chocolate.
- Slice the bars prior to serving. I find it easiest to refrigerate them until the topping is firm before slicing. To get the triangle-shaped bars, cut the bars into 3 sections lengthwise. Then cut each of the 3 sections into squares and cut each square in half on a diagonal.
Notes
Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge. They should be good for up to 5 days.
The recipe is slightly modified from Belle of the Kitchen.
