Tasty Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

Introduction

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a delightful treat inspired by Starbucks’ popular holiday favorite. These bars combine a rich blondie base with tangy dried cranberries, white chocolate, and a creamy orange-infused frosting. Perfect for festive gatherings or a cozy snack, they’re sure to impress.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (7.5 oz)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter (6 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10.5 oz)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (3.5 oz, loosely packed)
• 1 1/3 cups white chocolate, chopped or chips (8 oz)
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (6 oz)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated (for frosting)
• 2/3 cup white chocolate, melted (4 oz, for frosting drizzle)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (2.3 oz, loosely packed, for topping)
• 1 2/3 cups white chocolate, melted (10 oz, for topping drizzle)

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray and line the bottom with parchment paper, letting the edges hang over the sides. Spray the parchment to prevent sticking.
2. Step 2: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir frequently until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown. Remove from heat immediately and pour the browned butter into a bowl, scraping in all the bits. Let it cool completely.
3. Step 3: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, combine the cooled browned butter and brown sugar, whisking well. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest, stirring until smooth.
4. Step 4: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula, just until combined to avoid overmixing. Fold in the white chocolate and dried cranberries. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and smooth the top.
5. Step 5: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until edges turn golden and the top is set. Let the blondies cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
6. Step 6: Beat together cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, and finely grated orange zest until fluffy and smooth. Spread this frosting evenly over the cooled blondies. Chill for about 10 minutes if desired to make decorating easier.
7. Step 7: Sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries evenly over the frosting. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top in a decorative pattern. For easier drizzling, use a small zip-top bag with a snipped corner. Refrigerate until set.
8. Step 8: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Cut into triangles or your preferred shapes and serve.

Tips & Variations

• Brown the butter carefully for a deeper, nutty flavor but don’t let it burn.
• Try substituting dried cherries for cranberries for a different fruit note.
• For a lighter option, reduce the cream cheese slightly and increase orange zest for brightness.
• Use white chocolate chips if you prefer less chopping.

Storage

Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture. Reheat briefly in the microwave if you prefer them warm, but be careful not to melt the frosting.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I freeze these cranberry bliss bars?

Yes, you can freeze the bars after frosting and setting. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Using salted butter is okay, but reduce or omit the added table salt in the recipe to avoid oversalting the bars.

Tasty Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 64 reviews

Enjoy rich and festive Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars featuring a moist browned butter blondie base studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, orange-infused drizzle, and decorative cranberries. These bars perfectly balance sweet, tangy, and creamy flavors for a delightful treat ideal for holidays or any special occasion.

• Author: Mila
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 22 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 16 bars 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Blondie Layer

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (7.5 oz)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 12 tbsp unsalted butter (6 oz)
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10.5 oz)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries (3.5 oz, loosely packed)
• 1 1/3 cups white chocolate, chopped or chips (8 oz)

Frosting

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (6 oz)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
• 2/3 cup white chocolate, melted (4 oz)

Topping

• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (2.3 oz, loosely packed)
• 1 2/3 cups white chocolate, melted (10 oz)

Instructions

1. Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper with overhang and spray parchment again to prevent sticking.
2. Brown the butter: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir frequently as it foams and browns the milk solids at the bottom until golden brown. Immediately remove from heat and pour into a bowl, scraping the browned bits. Allow to cool completely to deepen flavor.
3. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and table salt to combine evenly.
4. Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk cooled browned butter with light brown sugar until well blended. Add lightly beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest then stir until smooth.
5. Combine wet and dry: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in white chocolate chunks and dried cranberries carefully.
6. Bake the blondies: Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until edges are golden and top is set. Cool the pan on a wire rack to room temperature.
7. Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, and finely grated orange zest until fluffy and smooth.
8. Frost the bars: Once blondies are completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly on top. Optionally chill bars for about 10 minutes to firm the frosting for easier decoration.
9. Add toppings: Sprinkle roughly chopped dried cranberries evenly over the frosting. Drizzle melted white chocolate decoratively using a small bag with the corner snipped.
10. Chill and slice: Refrigerate bars until frosting and drizzle are firm and set, about 30 minutes. Use parchment overhang to lift bars out of the pan. Cut into triangles or desired shapes before serving.
11. Store: Keep leftover bars in an airtight container refrigerated for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.

Notes

• Make sure to brown the butter carefully over medium heat, stirring often, to avoid burning and to develop rich flavor.
• Do not overmix the batter once combining wet and dry ingredients to keep blondies tender.
• Use a light-colored saucepan to better judge the browning of butter.
• Chilling the frosted bars before decorating helps achieve cleaner drizzles and easier cutting.
• Store bars refrigerated to keep the cream cheese frosting fresh and stable.
• These bars can be cut into various shapes—triangles or squares—for a fun presentation.

Keywords: Starbucks copycat, cranberry bliss bars, blondies, holiday dessert, cream cheese frosting, white chocolate, cranberries