Cranberry bliss bars Starbucks fans—this one’s for you! These bakery-style blondie bars are rich, chewy, and layered with tangy orange cream cheese frosting, sweet dried cranberries, and a drizzle of white chocolate. Whether you’re prepping holiday treats or just want to satisfy your seasonal cravings, this homemade version is bursting with bold flavor and festive flair.
Table of Contents
💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Starbucks copycat – But even better, because it’s fresh and homemade
- Festive & beautiful – White chocolate, cranberries, and orange zest = holiday magic
- No fancy tools – Just a mixing bowl, hand mixer, and a 9×13 pan
- Freezer-friendly – Make ahead and frost later
- Super chewy base – Like a blondie, not dry cake
🛒 Ingredients
For the Blondie Base
- 1 stick (115g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ¾ cup (130g) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (100g) dried sweetened cranberries
For the Frosting
- 8 oz (225g) full-fat cream cheese, very soft
- 4 tbsp (56g) unsalted butter, very soft
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange zest
For the Drizzle & Garnish
- ¼ cup white chocolate, melted
- 1 tbsp orange juice
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup white chocolate chips
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Preheat & Prepare
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides. Lightly grease.
2. Mix Blondie Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Add eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla.
In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. Gradually mix into the wet ingredients until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup cranberries and ¾ cup white chocolate chips.
3. Bake & Cool
Spread batter into the pan. Bake for 25–30 minutes or until edges are golden and the center is set but soft. Cool completely in the pan.
4. Make Frosting
In a mixer, beat softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and orange zest. Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. Frost, Chill & Decorate
Spread frosting over the cooled base. Chill for 90 minutes.
Melt white chocolate and stir in orange juice for drizzle. Drizzle over bars, then sprinkle remaining cranberries and white chocolate chips.
6. Slice & Serve
Use parchment paper to lift bars from pan. Slice into 16 squares, wiping your knife clean between cuts.
⏱ Recipe Details
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes (+ chill)
- Servings: 16 bars
- Difficulty: Medium
📊 Nutrition (per bar)
- Calories: 420
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Sugar: 38g
- Fat: 20g
- Protein: 5g
- Sodium: 150mg
✨ Tips & Variations
- Room temp ingredients: Cold butter or cream cheese = lumpy frosting
- Don’t overmix: Stir flour in gently to avoid cakey texture
- Zest matters: Use fresh orange zest for the best flavor
- Make ahead: Freeze the unfrosted blondie base, then thaw and frost later
- Holiday swap: Try dried cherries and almond extract for a fun twist
❓ FAQs
Can I use fresh cranberries?
No, dried sweetened cranberries are best for the texture and sweetness balance.
Can I freeze these bars?
Yes! Freeze the base before frosting, or freeze frosted bars with parchment between layers.
My frosting is too soft. What happened?
Your ingredients may have been too warm. Chill the frosting briefly, or beat in extra powdered sugar.
Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- – 9×13” baking pan
- Parchment paper
- Rubber spatula
- – Sharp knife
Ingredients
- **Base**
- – 1 stick 115g melted butter
- – 1 cup brown sugar
- – ½ cup granulated sugar
- – 2 eggs
- – 1 tsp vanilla
- – 1¾ cups flour
- – 1 tsp baking powder
- – ½ tsp ginger
- – ½ tsp salt
- – ¾ cup white chocolate chips
- – 1 cup dried cranberries
- **Frosting**
- – 8 oz cream cheese soft
- – 4 tbsp butter soft
- – 3 cups powdered sugar
- – ½ tsp vanilla
- – 1 tsp orange zest
- **Topping**
- – ¼ cup white chocolate melted
- – 1 tbsp orange juice
- – ¼ cup dried cranberries
- – ¼ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line and grease a 9×13 pan.
- Mix melted butter, sugars, eggs, vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients separately, then fold in. Add cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Spread in pan and bake 25–30 min. Cool fully.
- Whip frosting until fluffy. Spread on cooled base. Chill 90 min.
- Drizzle white chocolate + orange juice. Garnish with cranberries and chips.
- Slice into 16 bars.
Notes
– Use parchment handles to lift cleanly
– Room temp ingredients = smooth frosting
🏁 Conclusion
These cranberry bliss bars Starbucks copycats are a festive favorite that taste even better homemade. With a chewy blondie base, tangy orange-kissed cream cheese frosting, and bursts of cranberry and white chocolate, they’re destined to be a showstopper at your next party or cookie exchange. Happy baking!