Cranberry Bliss Bars (Printable)

Buttery bars loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate, crowned with tangy orange frosting and sweet white chocolate drizzle.

# What You Need:

→ Bar Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

→ Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
15 - 2 tablespoons orange juice

→ Topping

16 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped for garnish
17 - 1/3 cup white chocolate, melted for drizzle

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chips using a spatula.
07 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing the top surface.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges are golden brown.
09 - Allow bars to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment paper and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in orange zest and orange juice until creamy and spreadable.
11 - Once completely cool, spread frosting evenly over bars.
12 - Sprinkle with additional chopped dried cranberries if desired. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top using a spoon or piping bag.
13 - Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The bars hold their shape beautifully when sliced, so they actually look impressive on a platter without any fuss.
  • The orange cream cheese frosting adds a bright, tangy contrast that keeps them from being too sweet.
  • You can make them a day ahead and they taste even better after the flavors settle overnight in the fridge.
  • They freeze like a dream, so you can pull out a few whenever you need a quick dessert.
02 -
  • Do not frost warm bars or your beautiful orange frosting will slide right off and pool at the edges.
  • Chopping the cranberries is not optional, whole ones create weird texture pockets and make the bars hard to cut neatly.
  • Room temperature cream cheese is the difference between smooth frosting and lumpy frosting, so plan ahead and leave it out.
  • If your white chocolate seizes when melting, stir in a teaspoon of vegetable oil to bring it back to a drizzle-able consistency.
03 -
  • Use kitchen shears to chop the cranberries, its faster and cleaner than a knife and cutting board.
  • Line your pan with parchment in both directions so you can lift the bars out without any wrestling or broken corners.
  • Zest your orange before you juice it, trying to zest a juiced orange is a frustrating mess.
  • If your frosting is too soft to spread, pop it in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up before you try again.
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