Cranberry Bliss Bars

cranberry_bliss_bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars

A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with a hint of orange flavor, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle  – these Cranberry Bliss Bars are perfect for the holidays!

I’ve been going through pictures of December’s past and really missing our annual traditions that are on hiatus this year with the pandemic.  Holiday tea, cookie exchange, Christmas programs at church and school, choir concerts, holiday parties and more. 

Rather than dwelling on it, I decided I would get in the kitchen to recreate one of my favorite cookie exchange recipes – copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars. 

The bars have been popular at our neighborhood cookie exchange for years so I wanted to make them to celebrate the season. 

The recipe is very easy – and I adapted it from the Taste at Home recipe. 

The bars are topped with a white chocolate cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with dried cranberries and a drizzle of white chocolate.  They are rich and decadent!

Take advantage of sales on butter, cream cheese, and chocolate at Safeway to make these delicious copycat Starbucks cranberry bliss bars at home. 

I added orange zest to my bars to give them a slightly orange flavor as orange and cranberry are perfectly complementary flavors during the holidays

Blondie Layer:

  • 3/4 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar 
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips, divided

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted, divided
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries

How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars

Preheat the oven to 350° F. 

Spray a 13×9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray, then a layer of parchment paper to make it easier to remove the bars from the pan. 

In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar, mixing well until combined.   Let it cool to room temperature for a few minutes. 

Add the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest to the butter and sugar and mix with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

Combine the flour into the butter and egg mixture, with a hand mixer. Mix just until combined. 

Add the dried cranberries and the white chocolate and mix until combined.  The batter will be slightly thick. 

Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the frosting 

In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate and mix until combined. 

Frost the cooled blondie bars.  Sprinkle with dried cranberries and drizzle with the remaining melted white chocolate. 

Cut the bars into squares first, then triangles.  

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze up to 2 months. 

 

cranberry_Bliss_Bars_Recipe

cranberry_bliss_bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars

A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries with a hint of orange flavor, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle  – these Cranberry Bliss Bars are perfect for the holidays!
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, Cranberry Bliss Bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 30 triangle bars
Calories:
Author: Eva Fry

Ingredients

Blondie Layer:

  • 3/4 cup salted butter melted
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate chopped or white chocolate chips, divided

Frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 6 ounces white baking chocolate melted, divided
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • orange zest for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350° F.
  • Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with nonstick spray, then a layer of parchment paper to make it easier to remove the bars from the pan.
  • In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the brown sugar, mixing well until combined.   Let it cool to room temperature for a few minutes.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and orange zest to the butter and sugar and mix with a hand mixer until thoroughly combined.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
  • Combine the flour into the butter and egg mixture, with a hand mixer. Mix just until combined.
  • Add the dried cranberries and the white chocolate and mix until combined.  The batter will be slightly thick.
  • Spread the batter into the prepared baking dish.
  • Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare the Frosting

  • In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate and mix until combined.
  • Frost the cooled blondie bars.  Sprinkle with dried cranberries and drizzle with the remaining melted white chocolate.

Notes

Cut the bars into squares first, then triangles.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or freeze up to 2 months.

Starbucks_Cranberry_Bliss_bars_Recipe

SuperSafeway is a blog devoted to helping you find the best deals at Safeway in the Denver division.  Every week we find and share the best advertised and unadvertised deals at Safeway with and without coupons.  We also share recipes and weekly meal planning ideas based on sales to maximize your savings.  For more low prices, check out Super Safeway’s weekly ad coupon matchup page.  Stay updated on the best deals by following Super Safeway on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, or Pinterest and subscribe to our newsletter.

* Please note – Savings information is based on Colorado pricing and the Safeway Coupon Policy for the Denver Division which includes Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming and South Dakota. Your market may vary. *

 

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