Cranberry Bliss Bars are soft, chewy blondie bars loaded with tart cranberries and white chocolate, topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. I first tasted these at a coffee shop years ago and immediately knew I had to make them at home. Now they’re my most-requested holiday treat.
Love More Desserts Recipes? Try My Christmas Cranberry Bars or this Lemon Cranberry Cookies next.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Sweet, tangy, and beautifully festive, these Cranberry Bliss Bars are a holiday favorite. Featuring a soft, chewy blondie base filled with white chocolate and dried cranberries, then topped with creamy frosting and a drizzle of white chocolate, they’re as gorgeous as they are delicious. Perfect for gifting, parties, or a cozy winter treat.
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Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 24 bars
Description
These homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars feature a soft, chewy blondie base studded with white chocolate and tart cranberries, spiced with ginger and cinnamon, topped with orange-scented cream cheese frosting and finished with an elegant white chocolate drizzle. They’re the ultimate make-ahead holiday dessert!
Ingredients
For the Bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (or 1–2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (or 1 teaspoon orange zest)
- Pinch of salt
For the White Chocolate Drizzle and Topping:
- 4 ounces white chocolate, melted (for drizzle)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped (for sprinkling)
Instructions
Oven to 350°F. Parchment in the pan, leave overhang on two sides. Rub some butter on it.
Beat butter and sugars 3-4 minutes till pale and fluffy. Tried rushing this, bars came out like bricks. You’re beating air in which makes them not-bricks.
Eggs in one at a time, beat after each. Vanilla and orange in. Mix smooth.
Other bowl, flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon. Whisk it.
Dry into wet. Mix low till flour’s gone. My cousin kept mixing and hers were terrible and dense.
Spatula, fold in chocolate and cranberries. Really thick batter, that’s right.
Into the pan. Spread it around, get the corners, smooth the top. Thick so it takes work.
18-22 minutes. Toothpick comes out with wet crumbs. Edges look done, middle looks wet. Take them out. Baked them all the way once, dry garbage.
Leave alone for an hour till room temp. Frosted them warm once, frosting melted everywhere, learned that lesson.
Beat cream cheese smooth first. Then powdered sugar, vanilla, orange, salt. Beat couple minutes.
Spread frosting on. Offset spatula helps but whatever works. Doesn’t need to be neat.
Sprinkle cranberries on frosting. Press down a bit.
Melt chocolate, microwave 30 seconds at a time, stir after each. Plastic bag, cut corner, drizzle. Zigzags or whatever.
Fridge 30 minutes minimum, hour’s better. Parchment handles, lift it out. Wipe knife between cuts. Trim edges first then cut.
Notes
- Sift your powdered sugar for the frosting – it takes 30 seconds and eliminates any lumps that would ruin your smooth frosting.
- Use parchment paper with overhang. Seriously, this makes removing and slicing a breeze!
- Warm your knife under hot water, dry it, then cut. Repeat between each cut for bakery-perfect slices.
- Trim the edges before cutting into serving pieces – this gives you perfectly finished edges and, bonus, baker’s snack!
- Common mistake to avoid: Overmixing the batter after adding flour. Mix just until combined or you’ll develop too much gluten and end up with tough, cakey bars instead of soft, chewy ones.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes + Chill Time: 1 hour
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredient List
For the Bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract (or 1–2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup white chocolate chips (or chopped white chocolate)
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract (or 1 teaspoon orange zest)
- Pinch of salt
For the White Chocolate Drizzle and Topping:
- 4 ounces white chocolate, melted (for drizzle)
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped (for sprinkling)
Substitution Notes:
- Orange zest’s better than extract
- Don’t buy grocery store brand white chocolate, get Ghirardelli or Lindt
- Actually chop the cranberries, my first batch had whole ones and cutting them was hell
Why These Ingredients Work
Brown sugar keeps them chewy. Tried regular sugar once, came out like cardboard. The molasses does something weird and good with the spices.
Orange’s the whole point. My mom skipped it thinking nobody would notice and we all noticed. Tastes flat without it.
Ginger and cinnamon hide in the background. People ask what’s in them but can’t place it. That’s what you want.
White chocolate melts into pockets inside. Also need it for the drizzle which takes 2 minutes but makes them look like you tried.
Cream cheese frosting’s not optional. Too sweet without it. The tang fixes everything.
Essential Tools and Equipment
- 9×13-inch metal baking pan – tried glass, burned the edges
- Parchment paper – skip this, good luck getting them out
- Electric mixer – hand or stand, whatever
- Two bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Offset spatula if you have one – used a butter knife for 3 years
- Sharp knife for cutting
How To Make Cranberry Bliss Bars
Step 1: Prep Your Pan and Oven
Oven to 350°F. Parchment in the pan, leave overhang on two sides. Rub some butter on it.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
Beat butter and sugars 3-4 minutes till pale and fluffy. Tried rushing this, bars came out like bricks. You’re beating air in which makes them not-bricks.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Eggs in one at a time, beat after each. Vanilla and orange in. Mix smooth.
Step 4: Mix the Dry Ingredients
Other bowl, flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon. Whisk it.
Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry
Dry into wet. Mix low till flour’s gone. My cousin kept mixing and hers were terrible and dense.
Step 6: Fold in the Good Stuff
Spatula, fold in chocolate and cranberries. Really thick batter, that’s right.
Step 7: Spread and Smooth
Into the pan. Spread it around, get the corners, smooth the top. Thick so it takes work.
Step 8: Bake to Perfection
18-22 minutes. Toothpick comes out with wet crumbs. Edges look done, middle looks wet. Take them out. Baked them all the way once, dry garbage.
Step 9: Cool Completely
Leave alone for an hour till room temp. Frosted them warm once, frosting melted everywhere, learned that lesson.
Step 10: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
Beat cream cheese smooth first. Then powdered sugar, vanilla, orange, salt. Beat couple minutes.
Step 11: Frost the Bars
Spread frosting on. Offset spatula helps but whatever works. Doesn’t need to be neat.
Step 12: Add the Cranberry Topping
Sprinkle cranberries on frosting. Press down a bit.
Step 13: Drizzle the White Chocolate
Melt chocolate, microwave 30 seconds at a time, stir after each. Plastic bag, cut corner, drizzle. Zigzags or whatever.
Step 14: Chill and Slice
Fridge 30 minutes minimum, hour’s better. Parchment handles, lift it out. Wipe knife between cuts. Trim edges first then cut.
You Must Know
Room temp stuff or it won’t mix. Had cold cream cheese once, lumps wouldn’t come out no matter what.
Take them out when they look underdone. They’re not. Keep cooking while cooling. Overbaked bars suck.
Small cranberry pieces. Big ones make cutting annoying.
Personal Secret: Always make them the night before now. Better flavor, cut cleaner cold. Haven’t made same-day bars since 2021.
Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks
- Sift powdered sugar, lumps look bad
- Hot knife, wipe, cut, repeat every time
- Trim edges first, looks professional, also snacks
- Stop mixing when flour’s gone, keep going and they’re tough
- Parchment overhang’s how you get them out, not optional
Flavor Variations & Suggestions
Molasses and more ginger makes them gingerbready.
Grand Marnier in the frosting, did this for a party, everyone loved it.
Candied ginger instead of some chocolate. Spicy.
Half brown sugar in frosting instead of all powdered, caramel-ish.
Dried cherries work. Pecans if you want crunch.
Make-Ahead Options
Bake, cool, wrap, fridge 24 hours before frosting. Cut cleaner.
Or finish everything, fridge 2 days. Get better.
Freeze unfrosted in plastic and foil, 2 months. Thaw in fridge overnight then frost. Drizzle after thawing, looks better.
Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips
Thick batter’s normal. Don’t add stuff to thin it.
Frosting thick, add cream bit by bit.
Metal pan not glass. Glass burns edges.
Orange matters. Seems small but it’s not.
Sweet because dessert. Cream cheese and cranberries balance.
Serving Suggestions
Cookie swap, these go first.
Christmas breakfast with coffee, done it.
Potlucks, easy transport.
Gift in a tin instead of wine.
Coffee, chai, milk work. Whipped cream if you’re fancy.
Powdered sugar or zest on top for pictures.
How to Store Your Cranberry Bliss Bars
Fridge, cream cheese can’t sit out past 2 hours.
Cover them, 4-5 days. Taste better after sitting.
Freeze unfrosted in plastic and foil, 2 months. Thaw fridge overnight, frost. Freeze frosted if you want but texture’s weird after.
Eat cold or room temp. Want warmer, sit out 30 minutes. No microwave.
Allergy Information
Contains: Dairy, eggs, wheat, soy in some chocolate
Dairy-free: Vegan butter, Kite Hill cream cheese, dairy-free chocolate. Different but works.
Gluten-free: Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, more crumbly though.
Egg-free: Flax eggs work, 2 tablespoons flax 6 tablespoons water sit 5 minutes. Less chewy.
Nut-free: No nuts, check chocolate labels though.
Questions I Get Asked A Lot
My white chocolate seized when I melted it – help!
White chocolate is finicky! Make sure your bowl is completely dry (even a drop of water causes seizing), and melt it low and slow. Microwave in 20-30 second bursts at 50% power, stirring between each interval. If it does seize, try whisking in a teaspoon of neutral oil to smooth it back out.
The frosting is too soft and won’t stay on the bars. What happened?
Your cream cheese was probably too warm, or the bars weren’t completely cool when you frosted them. Pop the whole thing in the fridge for 20–30 minutes and it should firm right up! For future batches, make sure everything is at cool room temperature.
Can I skip the cream cheese frosting and just do the white chocolate drizzle?
Absolutely! They’re still delicious that way – more like a blondie bar. But I have to say, the cream cheese frosting really makes them special and balances the sweetness perfectly. Maybe try half a batch with frosting and half without?
Do these really need to be refrigerated?
YES! The cream cheese frosting needs to be kept cold for food safety. Plus, they slice SO much better when they’re chilled. I promise, they taste amazing straight from the fridge!
💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Tell me what happened or what you changed.
