Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe
My version of Starbucks' cranberry bliss bars – save money and get just as much holiday flavor by making this white chocolate and cranberry treat at home! And I'm telling you – you would never know these aren't the real thing! Try my cranberry bliss puppy chow or Cranberry Bliss Fudge next.
I have this problem: I crave Starbucks' Cranberry Bliss Bars 75% of the year, but they're only available for around 17% of each year. And since I refuse to participate in anything Christmas-related until after Thanksgiving, that docks me a few weeks as well.
So really, it's more like 10% of the year that my craving and my chances to actually get it match up. Actually… that's just one part of my problem. The last time I bought one, it was more than $3 for a single triangle! Too rich for my blood.
So I finally thought to myself, “What if I just made my own? How hard could it be?” Well… it wasn't that hard, but there was a decent amount of trial and error.
And in my opinion, these copycat Starbucks cranberry bliss bars are as close to being perfect as anything can be!
I believe my exact words after I took a bite were, “I'm f***ing awesome.” And I'm fairly confident I heard angels singing.
Ingredients for cranberry bliss bars
What's in the cranberry bliss bar? Well, a lot! But I really think the keys to that signature cranberry bliss bar flavor are the ginger, orange peel, and orange extract.
Blondie bar layer
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract: I call for 3/4 teaspoon, but really just a scant 1 teaspoon is what you're looking for.
- Orange extract: This is a must! You'll find it in bottles similar to vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour
- Ground ginger: Another must! Ground ginger is very versatile, especially for fall/winter foods – so it's great to keep a jar in your spice cabinet.
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Dried cranberries: Dried, not fresh! That means it's even easier to keep a stash on hand.
- White chocolate chips
White chocolate cream cheese frosting layer
- Cream cheese, softened (or Neufchatel cheese)
- Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
- Grated orange peel: You can certainly use freshly grated orange zest if you'd like, but I just keep a jar of dried grated orange peel in our spice drawer.
- White chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
- Dried cranberries
How to make copycat cranberry bliss bars
Don't be intimidated by the number of steps! You can do this, my friend. And remember, in the end you have delicious, delicious homemade treats.
Blondie Bar Layer
Step 1: In a large bowl with a stand or hand mixer, mix melted butter and brown sugar – it should be the texture of wet sand. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and orange extract. Beat well with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer (aff link).
Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.
Step 3: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Step 4: Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, just enough to soften them but not enough to melt them. Fold the cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter.
Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Layer
Step 5: In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and grated orange peel.
Add 1/2 of the melted white chocolate and beat well. Taste it at this point – if you think you'd like it a little sweeter or a little more orange-y, add small amounts and keep tasting until it's what you want.
Frost the bars with a spatula.
Step 6: Sprinkle dried cranberries on top.
Pour your remaining white chocolate into a piping bag (or a heavy-duty plastic baggie and cut off a little bit of the corner). You may need to reheat the white chocolate a little to get it fluid again. Drizzle the remaining melted white chocolate on top.
Let set and cool in the fridge.
How to cut cranberry bliss bars
If you want to slice them the same way you get them at Starbucks, you want to cut the pan of bars into 9 large squares and then cut those triangles in half to create 18 triangles.
Do cranberry bliss bars need to be refrigerated?
They sure do! Keep them covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Can you freeze cranberry bliss bars?
You can (and I usually do, for Future Leslie's sake!) – pop them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months.
How many calories in a Starbucks cranberry bliss bar?
Truth time: The Starbucks version is 290 calories, and mine is about 370 calories. I choose to ignore the calorie count and just enjoy it!
When are cranberry bliss bars available?
Starbucks only sells cranberry bliss bars during the holiday season, and since it seems like they start it earlier and earlier every year, it’s hard to say when exactly they’ll show up on shelves. I think it’s a safe bet to say for at least the month of December, if not November as well. But it doesn’t matter, because now you can make your own year-round ;)
Are Starbucks cranberry bliss bars discontinued?
Jeez, I hope not! I still see them popping up at the Starbucks around me in Massachusetts. But even if they were, now you have the bliss bars recipe to make your own :)
Serving Suggestions
- Indulge in your bliss bar as well as a homemade white chocolate mocha or a peppermint mocha (for extra holiday spirit)
- Make a festive dessert bar with these bars, some cranberry bliss puppy chow (or classic puppy chow!), homemade turtle candy, and a platter of peppermint bark
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Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Blondie Bar Layer
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, (scant 1 teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon ground ginger, (scant 1 teaspoon)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips
- ½ cup dried cranberries
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Layer
- 8 ounces cream cheese (block, not spread), softened (or Neufchatel cheese)
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
- 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- 6 ounces white chocolate chips, or chopped white chocolate bars, melted
- ½ cup dried cranberries, halved
Instructions
Blondie Bar Layer
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13" baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric stand mixer (aff link) or hand mixer, mix melted butter and brown sugar – it should be the texture of wet sand.3/4 cup (170 ¼ g) unsalted butter1 1/2 cups (330 g) light brown sugar
- Add eggs, vanilla extract, and orange extract. Beat well with an electric mixer.2 large eggs3/4 teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) pure vanilla extract1 teaspoon orange extract
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.2 1/4 cups (281 ¼ g) all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon (¾ teaspoon) ground ginger1 1/2 teaspoons (1 ½ teaspoons) baking powder1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) salt1/4 teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) ground cinnamon
- Gradually add the dry mixture to wet mixture.
- Put the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, just enough to soften them but not enough to melt them (white chocolate easily scalds). Fold the cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter.6 ounces (170 g) white chocolate chips1/2 cup (60 ⅗ g) dried cranberries
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Layer
- While the bars are cooling, in a large bowl, use an electric stand mixer (aff link) or hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and grated orange peel.8 ounces (226 ⅘ g) cream cheese (block, not spread)2 cups (240 g) confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)1 tablespoon grated orange peel
- Add 1/2 of the melted white chocolate and beat well. Taste it at this point – if you think you'd like it a little sweeter or a little more orange-y, add small amounts and keep tasting until it's what you want.6 ounces (170 g) white chocolate chips
- Frost bars with a spatula and sprinkle cranberries on top.1/2 cup (60 ⅗ g) dried cranberries
- Pour your remaining white chocolate into a piping bag (or a heavy-duty plastic baggie and cut off a little bit of the corner). You may need to reheat the white chocolate a little to get it fluid again. Drizzle remaining melted white chocolate on top. Let set and cool in fridge.
- Once cooled, cut into 9 large squares and cut those triangles in half to create 18 triangles. Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.
I love how you show the directions with the ingredients!!! I hate having to go back and forth between the two!!
Plan to back these today, but I have no oranges/extract… can I use juice?