This cranberry bliss bars recipe is a homemade copycat version of Starbucks' ever-popular seasonal dessert. Speckled with white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, these beauties are extremely hard to resist.
1cupwhite chocolate chipsmelted and divided, for drizzling
1/2cupdried cranberriesfor topping
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 metal baking pan with parchment paper, spray with nonstick baking spray, and set it aside.
In a mixing bowl, combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk until the mixture is smooth.
Add vanilla extract, orange oil, and eggs. Whisk until fully combined.
Stir together the salt, flour, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until combined.
Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
Spread into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 25-27 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.Cool completely.
Meanwhile, prepare the frosting by beating together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and orange oil until fluffy and smooth.
Melt white chocolate chips in the microwave by heating for 30 seconds at a time, and stirring until smooth. Add half of the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined.
Lift cooled bars from the baking pan by lifting the parchment paper.
Spread the frosting over the bars. Sprinkle dried cranberries over the top of the frosting.
Cut into triangles. Drizzle with remaining melted chocolate.TIP - After drizzling the melted white chocolate, it will harden so it’s easier to cut the bars before drizzling the chocolate. Otherwise, the hardened drizzle doesn’t cut cleanly.
Notes
TO STORE - Store the bars in an air-tight container or large ziptop bag kept at room temperature for 3-5 days.
TO FREEZE - Wrap them well in plastic wrap then transfer the bars into a large ziptop bag. You can also layer them with parchment paper in an air-tight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Orange oil is potent and adds wonderful flavor with just a few drops. If you prefer to use orange extract, you will want to use a bit more. You can also use orange zest in the batter or over the top of the bars.
Adjust the amount of white chocolate chips and/or dried cranberries to your liking. You can substitute a white chocolate bar for the chips.