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Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars: The Ultimate Holiday Treat

A close-up of a square of cranberry bliss bars topped with white frosting, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chunks.
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Make the best homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars that taste exactly like the Starbucks holiday favorite. This recipe gives you a soft blondie base, bright orange zest flavor, sweet white chocolate frosting, and festive toppings.

Ingredients

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  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips, chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate, melted, for drizzling
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries, for topping
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate curls or festive sprinkles, for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.
  2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Gently fold in the chopped white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and orange zest until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  6. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan.
  7. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
  8. Let the blondie base cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
  9. Prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, beat the powdered sugar, softened cream cheese, softened butter, vanilla extract, orange juice, and salt until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add a few more drops of orange juice.
  10. Once the base is completely cool, spread the white chocolate cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
  11. Immediately sprinkle the top with the reserved dried cranberries and white chocolate curls or sprinkles.
  12. Allow the frosting to set for about 30 minutes, or chill briefly if you prefer a firmer frosting.
  13. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the entire slab out of the pan. Cut into 24 squares or bars.

Notes

  • For a less sweet bar, reduce the amount of powdered sugar in the frosting slightly. You control the cranberry-to-icing ratio when you make them at home.
  • If you want a richer flavor in the base, substitute 1/4 cup of the white chocolate chips with chopped pecans.
  • To get a clean white chocolate drizzle, melt the chocolate slowly in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://mdlatdmm.com/cranberry-bliss-bars-recipe-starbucks-copycat/