Go Back
+ servings
Print

CRANBERRY BLISS BARS

These Cranberry Bliss Bars remind me of the ones at Starbucks. Easy to make, they give you an at home option you can make all year round (yes, even when Starbucks is sold out!).
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword bars, cranberries, squares, white chocolate
Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 30
Calories 236.29 kcal

Ingredients

BLONDIE LAYER:

  • 3/4 cup salted butter cubed (3/4 cup = 1 1/2 sticks)
  • 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar packed
  • 2 eggs large
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

DRY INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate coarsely chopped

FROSTING:

  • 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate melted
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare your baking pan. I used a 13 by 9 inch pan. Line with foil (the non-stick kind is best) or parchment paper. I like to let it hang over the edges to make it easier to remove the squares when they’re done. You can also use non-stick cooking spray instead if you’d prefer. In that case, I prefer the one meant for baking (with flour in it).

Making the Blondie Layer:

  1. Melt the butter and pour into a large mixing bowl.
  2. Stir in the brown sugar. Let cool to room temperature.
  3. Using an electric mixer, beat in the eggs and vanilla to this butter/brown sugar mixture.
  4. In a separate mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Whisk them together.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, using your electric mixer to blend them in.
  6. Using a spoon (I find wooden ones work best here), stir in the cranberries and chocolate.
  7. Spread the batter evenly into your pan. Bake for 18-20 minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center of your blondies should come out clean, but it’s important not to overbake these. Start at 18 minutes and then add another minute at a time until fully baked.

FOR THE FROSTING:

  1. Using your electric mixer again, cream the cream cheese together with the powdered sugar. It should be well blended and creamy.
  2. Add in half of the melted white chocolate, beating with your mixer.

TO FINISH THE BARS:

  1. Spread the cream cheese frosting mixture over the blondie base. Sprinkle with dried cranberries and drizzle the remaining white chocolate over it.
  2. Cut into bars. If you’d like to make smaller servings like I did, cut each of the bars into triangles.

Recipe Notes

These need to be kept in the refrigerator until serving (due to the cream cheese).

Nutrition Facts
CRANBERRY BLISS BARS
Amount Per Serving
Calories 236.29 Calories from Fat 101
% Daily Value*
Fat 11.26g17%
Saturated Fat 6.69g42%
Cholesterol 33.81mg11%
Sodium 102.2mg4%
Potassium 93.14mg3%
Carbohydrates 32.43g11%
Fiber 0.51g2%
Sugar 24.2g27%
Protein 2.52g5%
Vitamin A 262.59IU5%
Vitamin C 0.06mg0%
Calcium 52.18mg5%
Iron 0.66mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.