A perfectly soft cookie texture with cranberries and white chocolate chips scattered throughout, then topped with a drizzle of melted white chocolate on top. These Cranberry White Chocolate Bars are outright delicious and give Starbucks a run for their money.
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About Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
Have you tried Starbucks’ Cranberry Bliss Bars?! Yeah, they’re delicious. These Cranberry White Chocolate Cookie Bars are a copycat version that you can make at home and in my slightly biased opinion, they’re even better.
Cranberry Bliss Bars have a cookie-like base that’s thick and chewy. They’ve got a healthy dose of white chocolate chips and craisins scattered throughout.
We’re also adding a hint of citrus with the addition of orange zest which brightens up these bars making them a festive treat, perfect for your holiday cookie exchange.
And if you’re into the cookie bar idea, but want to try another flavor combo check out my Frosted Cookie Cake or Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars, too.
Recipe Ingredients
- Orange Zest - Citrus brightens this treat and gives a more holiday feel.
- Almond Extract - Almond extract brings a fruit forward taste to the bar. It’s very distinct and I don’t recommend skipping it or leaving it out! It’s also what makes my Funfetti White Chocolate Chip Cookies so unique.
- White Chocolate Chips - White chocolate pairs perfectly with the cranberries. We’re putting them in the bars and on top.
- Craisins - For a Cranberry Bliss Bar, we need cranberries! Do not use fresh cranberries. They’re much too tart. I used the original kind, but you could also experiment with the blueberry, pomegranate, or cherry flavored ones.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to Make This Recipe
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Note: It’s key to use parchment paper.
2. In a microwave safe mixing bowl, add the butter, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds, to get a softened, but not completely melted texture.
3. Add the brown and white sugar to the bowl with the butter and use an electric hand mixer to combine until the butter is completely absorbed into the sugar.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and fresh orange zest to the mixture. Beat again. Then, blend in the all purpose flour and baking powder.
5. Dice the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, then use a rubber spatula to mix in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- If you prefer larger pieces of the mix ins, you don’t have to dice them. I prefer chopped up cranberries + white chocolate so there’s more in every bite.
6. Add the dough to the parchment lined pan. Spread to the edges and push down slightly to flatten. Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the edges of the bars are golden brown. Note: the center will still be doughy!
7. Remove from the oven and place into the refrigerator (on a pot holder). For 1-2 hours until chilled.
8. Once the bars have cooled, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring between each. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars in a back and forth fashion.
9. Cut the cookie bars into large squares and then diagonals to take on the shape similar to Starbucks. Enjoy!
Storage
Store these bars in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend keeping them on the counter as the coolness preserves the doughy, desired texture!
Here's a tip that my family has been practicing since I was a kid: Keep a piece of sandwich bread in the same container as your Cranberry White Chocolate Bars (this works for blondies and cookies too!). A large Tupperware is best.
I usually use the end slice of a loaf that is likely going in the trash anyway. All of the moisture in the bread will be drawn out by the bliss bars to keep them nice and soft.
Recipe FAQs
Don’t over bake your bars! The soft cookie texture really make these bars. You want the center just slightly underdone when you pull your Cranberry White Chocolate Bars from the oven, and they’ll continue to cook to just the perfect doneness as they cool.
Starbucks does put a cream cheese icing on their Bliss Bars. I think these Cranberry Cookie Bars are plenty sweet without the frosting, and prefer just the white chocolate drizzle. But, if you are wanting to add cream cheese frosting, use the frosting recipe from my Maple Bundt Cake.
I used an 8x8 metal pan, which worked well. I STRONGLY suggest lining your pan with parchment for easy removal. You can also use a ceramic or glass pan or two loaf pans, but still line them with parchment.
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Recipe
Cranberry White Chocolate Bars
Equipment
- 8x8 baking pan
- Mixing Bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- electric hand mixer
- Rubber Spatula
- Zester
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp grated orange zest
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1 ¼ cup all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ cup dried craisins
- ½ +⅓ cup white chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a microwave safe mixing bowl, add the butter, cover with a paper towel and microwave for 30 seconds to achieve a softened, but not completely melted texture.
- Add the brown and white sugar to the bowl with the butter and use an electric hand mixer to combine until the butter is completely absorbed into the sugar.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract, and fresh orange zest to the mixture. Beat again.
- Then, beat in the all purpose flour and baking powder.
- Dice the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips, then use a rubber spatula to mix in the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Add the dough to the parchment lined pan. Spread to the edges and push down slightly to flatten.
- Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the edges of the bars are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and place into the refrigerator (on a pot holder). For 1-2 hours until chilled.
- Once the bars have cooled, melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second intervals stirring between each. Use a spoon to drizzle the melted chocolate over the bars in a back and forth fashion.
- Cut the cookie bars into large squares and then diagonals to take on the shape similar to Starbucks. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Notes
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If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find CRANBERRY WHITE CHOCOLATE BARS calories and nutrition facts. Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved or just say hi!
Courtney Paige says
Love these bars - such a great rival to Starbuck bars!
Sydney Van Acker says
i mean court really nailed this one. The texture, the flavor, the look. All 10/10.
Madison says
SO AMAZING!! I love the Starbucks cranberry bliss bars and these are better!! I made this in a pie tin which made it easy to cut into little slices to serve. Added the cream cheese frosting and white chocolate on top and it’s PERFECT!