Holiday Baking Favorite: Cranberry Bliss Bars!

Video Description

These Starbucks copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars are soft, chewy cookie bars loaded with white chocolate and sweetened dried cranberries, topped with a luscious orange-kissed cream cheese frosting and finished with a white chocolate drizzle. They’re festive, bakery-style treats that are surprisingly easy to make at home—and honestly just as good (if not better) than the original. Perfect for holidays, parties, or whenever you’re craving a coffee-shop favorite! ⸻ Timestamps • 0:00 Intro • 0:32 Ingredients • 1:04 Browning the butter • 2:19 Zesting the orange • 2:51 Mixing the cookie base • 4:17 Baking the bars • 5:01 Preparing the topping • 5:33 Making the frosting • 6:35 Frosting the bars • 7:40 Cutting the bars • 8:27 Taste test & outro Cranberry Bliss Bar Ingredients Cookie Bars • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (113 g) • 1 cup light brown sugar, packed (200 g) • 1 large egg (≈ 50 g without shell) • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml) • 1 teaspoon orange extract (5 ml) • Zest of 1 orange or 1 teaspoon orange zest (≈ 2 g) • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger (≈ 0.5 g) • 1/4 teaspoon salt (≈ 1.5 g) • 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 g total) • 1 cup white chocolate chips (170 g) • 1 1/2 cups dried sweetened cranberries (180 g) ⸻ Cream Cheese Frosting & Topping • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened (113 g) • 3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar (90–120 g) (I used 1 cup / 120 g) • 1/4 teaspoon orange extract (1.25 ml) • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (1.25 ml) • Tiny pinch of salt • 3 tablespoons dried sweetened cranberries, chopped (≈ 20 g) • 3 tablespoons white chocolate chips (≈ 30 g) • 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (2.5 ml) ⸻ Instructions 1. Preheat & Prep Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Spray an 8×8-inch (20×20 cm) pan with cooking spray or line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. 2. Brown the Butter Melt butter in a stainless-steel saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and stir constantly with a silicone spatula. Butter is ready when it smells nutty and you see light brown specks beneath the foam. Immediately remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes. 3. Mix the Base Add brown sugar to a large bowl. Pour in the cooled browned butter and whisk vigorously until it resembles wet sand. Add egg, vanilla extract, orange extract, orange zest, ginger, and salt. Whisk briskly until creamy. 4. Add Dry Ingredients & Mix-Ins Add flour, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. Switch to a spatula and fold until no streaks of flour remain. Batter will be thick. 5. Bake Spread batter evenly into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden and the top is set. 6. Cool Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to a wire rack. Slide parchment out from underneath and let cool completely. ⸻ Frosting & Topping 1. Prepare Frosting Microwave softened cream cheese in 10-second bursts until easily stirred. Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, orange extract, vanilla, and salt with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, scraping sides as needed. 2. Frost & Top Frost cooled bars evenly. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. 3. White Chocolate Drizzle Add white chocolate chips and coconut oil to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Transfer to a Ziploc bag, snip the corner, and drizzle over the bars. 4. Slice & Serve Let drizzle set, then cut into 9 squares. Slice each square diagonally to make 18 triangle-shaped bars. Amazon Affiliate Links to Products I Use As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through these affiliate links. There is no extra cost to you. I only provide links to products I use and love. Thank you for your support! Teakhaus Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/4o1udxK Anchor Hocking 6oz custard cups: https://amzn.to/4maopAp Henckels 15-Piece Knife Set: https://amzn.to/3TOtkel KitchenAid hand mixer: https://amzn.to/46ns9db Cooling Racks: https://amzn.to/44YKs6h OXO Mixing Bowls: https://amzn.to/4f2DGAN Microplane Zester: https://amzn.to/419pwbp DI ORO Silicone Spatula Set: https://amzn.to/40sjgeH OXO Offset Spatula: https://amzn.to/3JxSwni OXO Mini Whisk: https://amzn.to/4lB2bYo ProKeeper Food Storage Set: https://amzn.to/3UnPSTc Caldo Cotton Apron: https://amzn.to/3IF7pUA Microphone used for filming: https://amzn.to/3Udjy5L