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Feel Good Foodie

Cranberry Bliss Bars

A thick, chewy blondie base scented with orange zest and studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate, topped with a fluffy cream cheese frosting. Cut into triangles, they're a copycat of the Starbucks holiday favorite that's even better homemade.

⏱ 70 min24Americandessertbarsblondiescranberrywhite chocolate

Ingredients

For the blondie base

  • 2 cupsall-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoonground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1/2 teaspooncinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoonsalt
  • 1 1/2 cupslight brown sugar · packed
  • 1orange · zested
  • 2 sticksunsalted butter · melted
  • 1 cupsweetened dried cranberries
  • 2eggs · at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
  • 1 cupwhite chocolate chips

For the frosting

  • 8 ouncescream cheese · softened
  • 4 tablespoonsunsalted butter
  • 2 cupsconfectioner's sugar · sifted
  • 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
  • 1/2 cupsweetened dried cranberries · chopped, for topping
  • —orange zest · if desired, for topping

Steps

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a little excess on all four sides so you can lift the blondies out once baked.

  2. 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

  3. 3

    In a large bowl, add the brown sugar and orange zest and massage the zest into the sugar with your fingers until it is very fragrant. Whisk in the melted butter until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, then whisk in the vanilla extract.

  4. 4

    Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no streaks of flour remain.

  5. 5

    Fold in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

  6. 6

    Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are slightly brown and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.

  7. 7

    Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes, then carefully remove from the pan and set on a wire rack to cool completely.

  8. 8

    Once the blondies have cooled completely, make the frosting. Add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together at medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes, until fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes more.

  9. 9

    Spread the frosting over the cooled blondies in an even layer. Scatter the chopped cranberries on top, along with orange zest if desired.

  10. 10

    Chill in the fridge for about 1 hour, then cut into 24 even triangles and serve.

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