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Tasty Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

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★★★★★

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.

Ingredients

Scale

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

Find it online: https://chefmilacook.com/tasty-starbucks-copycat-cranberry-bliss-bars-recipe/