Description
Cranberry Bliss Bars are a festive and delicious dessert featuring a buttery base studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of white chocolate topped with more cranberries. Perfect for holiday gatherings or anytime you want a sweet, tangy treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cranberry Bliss Bar
- 1 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar or 3/4 cup white sugar & 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 6 ounces white chocolate (preferably baking chocolate)
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese (brick-style)
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons whipping cream
Topping
- 2 ounces white chocolate
- 2 tablespoons dried cranberries
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the edges for easy removal.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter and sugar until combined. Mix in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Then fold in the orange zest, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries.
- Bake the bars: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
- Prepare the cream cheese frosting: Chop the white chocolate into small pieces and melt in a heatproof bowl in the microwave at medium power for 45 seconds intervals, stirring between each until smooth. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese until soft. On low speed, gradually beat in the melted white chocolate, then add powdered sugar a little at a time. Mix in whipping cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until frosting reaches desired consistency.
- Frost the bars: Once the bars are fully cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.
- Prepare the topping: Chop the remaining white chocolate and melt using the same method. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosted bars and sprinkle dried cranberries on top.
- Slice and serve: Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars from the pan onto a cutting board. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts for neat bars.
Notes
- Make Ahead: Bake and fully cool bars, then cover. Frost them the next day for best results.
- Storage: Store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
- Freezing: After baking and cooling, wrap bars tightly and freeze for up to 2 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting.
- Use brick-style full-fat cream cheese for best frosting texture and flavor instead of spreadable cream cheese.
- Use baking white chocolate instead of chips for smoother frosting consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
