Introduction

If you love the festive flavors of Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars, you’ll adore this copycat recipe. These bars combine a buttery blondie base with tangy dried cranberries, smooth cream cheese frosting, and a rich white chocolate drizzle. Perfect for holiday treats or anytime you crave a delightful, fruity dessert.

The image shows a close-up of several triangular slices of a cake with two main layers. The bottom layer is light brown with visible red berries mixed inside, giving it a textured, moist look. On top is a thick white cream layer with some thin, wavy white drizzle lines and scattered red dried berries. The cake slices are placed on a wooden board with a white marbled texture in the background. The focus is on one front slice with the others slightly blurred behind it, showing the details of the cream and berries clearly. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

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

1 tbsp orange juice

1 tsp orange zest, finely grated

2/3 cup white chocolate, melted (4 oz)

1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (2.3 oz, loosely packed)

1 2/3 cups white chocolate, melted (10 oz)

Instructions

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, then line the bottom with parchment paper allowing an overhang on both sides. Spray the parchment again to prevent sticking.

Step 2: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir frequently until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown. Immediately remove from heat and pour the browned butter into a bowl, scraping all the flavorful bits. Let it cool completely.

Step 3: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, combine the cooled browned butter and brown sugar, whisking until blended. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest, stirring until smooth.

Step 4: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate and dried cranberries. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing the top.

Step 5: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until edges are golden and the top is set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature before frosting.

Step 6: Beat together cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, and orange zest in a medium bowl until smooth and fluffy. Spread evenly over the cooled bars. Chill for 10 minutes if desired to firm up the frosting.

Step 7: Sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries evenly over the frosting. Drizzle melted white chocolate decoratively on top using a spoon or a zip-top bag with a snipped corner.

Step 8: Refrigerate until the frosting and chocolate set. Lift the bars out using the parchment overhang, cut into triangles or desired shapes, and serve.

Tips & Variations

For extra flavor, brown the butter carefully to deepen the blondie’s taste without burning.

Use fresh orange zest and juice for the frosting to enhance citrus notes.

Swap dried cranberries for dried cherries or cran-raspberry mix for a twist.

Keep the white chocolate warm over a double boiler to make drizzling easier.

FAQs

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?

Yes, but reduce or omit additional salt in the recipe to avoid oversalting.

Can I make these bars ahead of time?

Absolutely. The bars can be made and frosted a day in advance. Just keep them refrigerated and drizzle the white chocolate topping close to serving time if you prefer it extra fresh.