Just like the ones sold at Starbucks, this sweet yet tart bar is a festive, holiday favorite. Cranberry bliss bars feature the flavors of orange, cranberries, white chocolate and ginger.
Festive cranberry bliss bars
Cranberry bliss bars are a delicious dessert. But I absolutely love them with a hot cup of tea or coffee for a sweet afternoon treat. It is the holidays after all, so why not splurge and treat yourself. Cranberry bliss bars are a Northwest favorite. They have been sold for many years famously in just about every coffee shop in Seattle.
Cranberry bliss bars are great for a party
Cranberry bliss bars start out with a “blondie-like” base. It is a cake layer seasoned with all the good things like orange liqueur, Craisins (dried cranberries), white chocolate chips, sugar and ginger. The next layer is a cream cheese frosting flavored with orange. The decoration or topping is more Craisins, white chocolate and orange zest. In each flavorful bite, you’ll experience tart, sweet, tart, sweet. Notes of orange and ginger bring it all together.
Bake cranberry bliss bars in a 9 x 13 pan
This recipe for cranberry bliss bars is quite large. Use a 9 x 13 baking pan. Once you cut out the bars, they can be wrapped and frozen if necessary to make your holiday treats stretch out over the season. Cranberry bliss bars are traditionally cut in triangles, however, you can cut them in rectangles as well if it’s easier. They are homemade, so whichever you prefer. Trim the edges of the bars for nice straight clean lines. Save those trimmings! They are sweet little treats just for the chef.
Dig in to cranberry bliss bars
For the orange liqueur, I recommend using Cointreau or Grand Marnier. Don’t skimp on the flavor by using an artificial extract. They simply won’t taste as good.
What you’ll need
For the base cake:
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp orange liqueur (or orange extract)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp soft butter
3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp orange liqueur (or orange extract)
Topping:
1/3 cup Craisins, chopped
1-2 tbsp minced orange zest (optional)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 tbsp neutral oil (like sunflower oil or melted coconut oil)
Instructions
Cake: Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, then the orange flavoring.
Combine the flour, baking powder and ground ginger together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until combined. Blend in the Craisins and white chocolate chips. Gently spread the batter in the pan and bake for 24 – 29 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting: Blend the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioner’s sugar and orange flavoring. Beat well until combined. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake base.
Topping: Sprinkle the Craisins and orange zest over the frosting.
Combine the remaining chocolate chips with the oil in a small bowl. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave until they are 90% melted (about 30-40 seconds). Stir the chocolate and the remaining chips will melt through. Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the frosted cake. Cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Trim the edges. They are pictured here cut into small rectangles. If you’d like to cut them in triangles like Starbucks does, cut the cake in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into equal rectangles (about 8). Cut each rectangle in half diagonally to make triangles.
Notes: *Cointreau or Grand Marnier. This is a large recipe. The bars freeze well in an air-tight container.
I hope you enjoy this recipe for cranberry bliss bars. I’d love to hear your experience making them. Leave me a comment below. Scroll down for the recipe card if you’d like to print out the recipe.
Happy baking,
Michelle
Cranberry bliss bars
Just like the ones sold at Starbucks, this sweet yet tart bar is a festive, holiday favorite. Cranberry bliss bars feature the flavors of orange, cranberries, white chocolate and ginger.
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 55 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry
Servings: 12 people
Author: Michelle
Ingredients
For the cake
1 cup butter melted
1 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp *orange liqueur (or orange extract)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup Craisins (dried cranberries)
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting
4 oz cream cheese
1 tbsp soft butter
3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp *orange liqueur (or orange extract)
Topping
1/3 cup Craisins chopped
1-2 tbsp minced orange zest (optional)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 tbsp neutral oil (like sunflower oil or melted coconut oil)
Instructions
Cake
Line a 9×13 baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs one at a time, then the orange flavoring.
Combine the flour, baking powder and ground ginger together. Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients until combined. Blend in the Craisins and white chocolate chips. Gently spread the batter in the pan and bake for 24 – 29 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
Blend the cream cheese and butter. Add the confectioner’s sugar and orange flavoring. Beat well until combined. Spread the frosting evenly over the cake base.
Topping
Sprinkle the Craisins and orange zest over the frosting.
Combine the remaining chocolate chips with the oil in a small bowl. Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave until they are 90% melted (about 30-40 seconds). Stir the chocolate and the remaining chips will melt through. Drizzle the melted chocolate all over the frosted cake.
Cool in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Trim the edges. They are pictured here cut into small rectangles. If you’d like to cut them in triangles like Starbucks does, cut the cake in half lengthwise. Then cut each half into equal rectangles (about 8). Cut each rectangle in half diagonally to make triangles.
Notes
*Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
This is a large recipe.
The bars freeze well in an air-tight container.
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