Homemade Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars are the most heavenly blend of dried cranberries, orange, and white chocolate topped with a bit of cream cheese frosting! You can make this “better than copycat” version at home for your family and friends for the holidays.
I first tried a Cranberry Bliss Bar at a cookie exchange last year. Have you had one? Essentially it’s a Blondie, with fruit and white chocolate in the dough, topped with cream cheese frosting and more fruit and white chocolate (covers lots of food groups according to Grant).
Red and white, rich and chewy. This cookie was made for Christmas!I looked for the recipe from my friend Karen (who brought it to the exchange), but no luck. Could not find it. I emailed Karen and asked her to resend it via email. She couldn’t find it either. She sent me links to a couple of recipes she had used, but wasn’t exactly sure which of the two was her favorite. This is an all to familiar story in my world! I gave up the search and started from scratch to make my own recipe.
Oh, I should also say- last week, when I was in the great state of Washington for two days, I bought a Cranberry Bliss Bar from the King of Coffee, who made this bar famous. I thought if I was going to make their bar, I should make sure my copycat tasted as good, if not better than the real deal.
I read a few recipes, and compared to the official Starbucks ingredient list. Then I worked on my own version. I wanted a recipe that was easily baked in a 9×13 pan. Most of the recipes I found called for an 8×8, or a jelly roll pan… a 9×13 is the perfect size. I also like the white chocolate melted into the batter instead of chunks of chips. Grated orange zest gave the topping a little fresh zip.
Everyone who taste-tested gave these bars two thumbs up.
For a fraction of what you’ll pay at Starbucks, you can have the whole pan. Freshly made in your kitchen.
Absolutely Heavenly.
**2017 Update** I’ve heard Starbucks no longer sells this treat at holiday time. Let me know if you can confirm the truth of this rumor!
Homemade Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract, or about one tablespoon grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 cup Craisins
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- dash salt
- 1 tablespoon milk to thin, if needed
Topping:
- 1/2 cup Craisins, chopped
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips, or white chocolate baking bar 4 oz
- few drops of vegetable or canola oil to thin white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in center of oven.
- Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs. Beat for about one minute.
- Add orange and vanilla extracts and set aside.
- In a small separate bowl, microwave the white chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir, heat for 30 seconds. Stir again. Microwave again for a few seconds. In my microwave this takes a total of 1 min 15 seconds. The chocolate will melt as you stir.
- When melted, scrape into bowl with butter and sugars. Mix with mixer until incorporated. Or, alternatively, you may just mix the chips into the batter.
- Add the flour, powder, soda, ginger, sea salt and cornstarch all at once. Mix just until flour disappears and ingredients are incorporated. Fold in Craisins.
- Spread mixture evenly in a greased 9×13 pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until center is set and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Let cool completely.
Frosting:
- Make frosting by combining all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat until smooth. Add a little milk if needed. Spread frosting on cooled crust.
Topping:
- Sprinkle the chopped Craisins over the top of the frosting.
- Prepare toping by placing white chocolate in a small ziplock baggie. Microwave for about one minute. Pour in small amount of oil to help white chocolate pour smoothly.
- Using hands, press white chocolate chips together in bag to mix with oil and help melting process. Microwave a few more seconds if needed.
- Snip off a small corner of the bag and squeeze/drizzle over the frosted bars.
- Grate a bit of orange rind over the top of the finished bars, if desired.
- Let sit in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, cut when completely cooled and set up.
- Best stored in refrigerator, in a sealed container such as a tupperware.
- Cut into squares, then half the squares on the diagonal to form a triangle.
- Yield about 30 small bars.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!
Maria
You asked in your 2017 update if these are still being sold at Starbucks. The answer is yes. I saw them at the Starbucks in Woods Cross, UT during both December 2021 and January 2022. They told me they hadn’t sold them all yet so they might have them for a little longer.
Si Foster
Thank you Maria! I will go take a look. I love this treat!
XO
Si
Carly
Yet another fantastic recipe. This is one of my all time favorite treats, and I’d say this recipe tastes even better than the real thing, and so much cheaper lol!
Si Foster
Thank you Carly! I appreciate your review and agree, the homemade version is much more affordable!
XO
Si
Lisa
I bought some cranberry bars very similar to this recipe before Christmas at a local chain store. After tasting them, I went on the search for the recipe and found this one. I have made this recipe twice in less than a week. They are delicious!
abountifulkitchen
Thanks Lisa! I didn’t get around to making these for Christmas this year, but have plans to make them for Valentines day treats! Thanks for reading ABK 🙂
abountifulkitchen
Thanks Linda!
Britney
I think perhaps you are missing the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting…?
abountifulkitchen
Thanks Britney! I will add it now 🙂 A little too much baking. The sugar is warping my brain.
the organic kitchen
These look amazing Si!
Linda
In two days you've made two recipes I've bookmarked to make. I'm always on the hunt for "the" cranberry bliss bar recipe, and this one looks promising!
abountifulkitchen
I think you'll love all of the cookies I'm sharing this week! Thanks for reading ABK. Happy baking!