These Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars have everything you love about the original, but they’re homemade so they’re even tastier! They feature a buttery blondie base loaded with cranberries and white chocolate and an irresistible cream cheese frosting.
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Pin RecipeLike everyone, I love Starbucks, but I love it even more when I can make my favorite Starbucks treats at home. So far I’ve made Starbucks Cake Pops, Copycat Starbucks Sous Vide Egg Bites and Pumpkin Spice Cold Brew, and with Christmas coming up, I figured it was the perfect time to try my hand at replicating their Cranberry Bliss Bars, too!
If you’ve never had them, they’re a cookie bar flavored with orange, cranberry, and white chocolate. Then, they’re topped with cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of almond-flavored white chocolate. They are so good, but I think I like my homemade version even more!
Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe
I’m planning on making a batch of Cranberry Bliss Bars to add to my Christmas cookie platters this year, but even a plate of these alone would be great for holiday gifting!
To complete the Starbucks-at-home experience, you can put them in a basket or gift box with a festive mug and a bag of coffee beans.
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
Ingredients For Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
For the Bars:
- Butter – I also recommend unsalted butter for baking.
- Brown sugar – I recommend using light brown sugar for this recipe, but dark will work just fine too.
- Large Eggs – Take your eggs out of the fridge, and let them come to room temperature on the counter before you begin.
- Orange extract – The orange extract is the perfect complement to the cranberries! You can use orange zest instead, but the flavor is more intense with the extract.
- Vanilla extract
- Ground ginger
- Baking powder
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- White chocolate chips
- Craisins
For the Frosting and Topping:
- Cream cheese – The cream cheese should be at room temperature, which makes it easier to whip up into a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Powdered sugar
- Orange extract
- Craisins
- Almond bark – Or substitute white chocolate. I like the flavor of almond bark, though!
How to Make Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350ºF, and line a 13×9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Then, spray it generously with nonstick baking spray.
- Combine the dry ingredients: Sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and ginger into a mixing bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a mixing bowl with a hand mixer), beat together the melted butter and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and fluffy.
- Add remaining ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the extracts. Then, add the dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Fold in the white chocolate chips and craisins.
- Bake: Spread the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until the bars are set and golden brown around the edges.
- Cool: Remove the pan from the oven, and place it on a wire rack to cool completely. Then, carefully remove the bars from the pan, and place them on a large cutting board.
- Make the frosting: Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add the orange extract, and beat again.
- Frost and cut: Spread the frosting onto the cooled bars. Drizzle with the melted almond bark and sprinkle the chopped Craisins on top. Once the frosting has hardened and set, cut the bars into triangles.
Quick Tip
Keep the cream cheese for the frosting at room temperature. This way, it will be lump-free when you go to make the frosting.
How To Store Cranberry Bliss Bars
With the cream cheese frosting, you’ll need to keep your bars in the fridge. Place them in an airtight storage container and refrigerate them for up to 5 days.
FAQs
They are! Starbucks only sells them in November and December. However, when you know how to make them at home, you can enjoy them year-round!
Yes, you can freeze Cranberry Bliss Bars for up to 2 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight, and enjoy! I recommend placing a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent them from clumping together.
Cranberry Bliss Bars are a little bit like a thinner version of a blondie with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips inside and a cream cheese frosting. They also have an orange extract to amp up the flavor!
More Holiday Treats for Gifting
Christmas
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Buckeyes
Cookies
Christmas M&M Cookies
Cookies
Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
Christmas
Homemade Peppermint Bark
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Equipment
- 13×9 Baking Dish
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Hand mixer
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Cranberry Bliss Bars:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cup butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 cup Craisins
Frosting Topping:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 squares of almond bark melted
- 1/3 cup Craisins roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 13×9 pan with parchment paper and spray with non stick baking spray.
- Sift together flour, salt, baking powder and ginger into a bowl. Set aside.1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- In a stand mixer, beat together melted butter and brown sugar over medium speed1 cup butter, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- Next, add in eggs one at a time while mixing.2 eggs
- Add orange extract, and vanilla extract and beat until mixed well.1 teaspoon orange extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Then, add in the flour mixture ½ cup at a time, beating until just blended.
- Stir in white chocolate chips and Craisins by hand.1 cup white chocolate chips, 1 cup Craisins
- Spread evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes until set and golden brown at the edges.
- Remove from oven and place pan on a wire rack to cool.
- Once the bars are cool, remove from the pan and add to a large cutting board.
- To make the frosting, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Add orange extract and mix well.8 ounces cream cheese, 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
- Top the bars with the frosting – spreading to the edges.
- Drizzle with melted white chocolate and top with chopped craisins.2 squares of almond bark, 1/3 cup Craisins
- Allow the frosting to set and then cut into triangles.
