Feastical

Your New Favorite Holiday Treat is Here: Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars

Hey friends, Beau here from Feastical! Is there anything that signals the start of the holiday season quite like that first sighting of those famous cranberry bliss bars at the coffee shop? That iconic white and red drizzle, that creamy frosting, that chewy, blissful bite… it’s a moment of pure, unadulterated joy. But what if I told you that you can create a version of this legendary treat right in your own kitchen, and that it’s not only easier than you think, but it’s also about a thousand times more delicious?

That’s right, we’re diving headfirst into my all-time favorite holiday bake today. We’re talking about a soft, chewy blondie base, absolutely loaded with tangy dried cranberries and sweet, melty white chocolate chips. Then, we’re crowning this masterpiece with a layer of luscious cream cheese frosting that’s zipped up with a hint of fresh orange zest, a final sprinkle of more cranberries, and an artful drizzle of pure white chocolate. It’s a symphony of textures and flavors—sweet, tart, creamy, and chewy, all in one perfect bar.

I’ve perfected this recipe over years of holiday baking, and I’m so excited to share all my secrets with you. This isn’t just a recipe; it’s a feel-good project. It’s the kind of baking that fills your home with the most incredible aroma and fills your heart with that warm, festive spirit. So, preheat that oven, grab your favorite mixing bowl, and let’s make some magic happen. These Cranberry Bliss Bars are about to become the star of your holiday cookie platter, your go-to potluck contribution, and your new cherished baking tradition. Let’s get to it!

A Sweet Slice of Holiday Memory

I’ll never forget the first time I truly *noticed* these bars. It wasn’t in a coffee shop; it was at my Aunt Marie’s annual holiday open house. The table was a glorious, groaning buffet of every cookie and treat imaginable, but right in the center was a platter of these gorgeous, frosted triangle bars. They looked so professional, so fancy. I assumed she’d bought them from some high-end bakery. I took one bite and my eyes practically rolled back in my head. The combination of the tart cranberry and the sweet white chocolate was a revelation.

I immediately found my aunt and showered her with praise for her incredible baking skills. She just laughed, a warm, knowing chuckle, and said, “Oh honey, these are the easiest thing here! It’s just a dressed-up blondie. The secret is a little orange zest in the frosting.” That moment stuck with me. It taught me that the most “impressive” dishes are often the simplest ones, made extraordinary with a little love and one special ingredient. Now, every time I zest that orange into the frosting, I think of Aunt Marie’s laugh and that crowded, joyful holiday party. It’s my little culinary touchstone, and it’s why these bars will always taste like family and celebration to me.

Gathering Your Bliss-Making Ingredients

Here’s everything you’ll need to create this holiday masterpiece. The beauty of this recipe is its simplicity—most of these are pantry staples, and the few special items are easy to find this time of year. Remember, baking is a science, so measure your flour correctly (spoon and level, don’t scoop!) for the best results.

For the Blondie Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted – Using unsalted butter lets you control the salt level perfectly. Melted butter gives us that dense, chewy texture we’re after. If you only have salted, just reduce the added salt to a ¼ teaspoon.
• 1½ cups brown sugar, packed – Pack it in there! The molasses in the brown sugar is what creates that beautiful, deep, caramel-like flavor and that wonderfully moist crumb.
• 2 large eggs – Make sure they’re at room temperature! This helps them emulsify seamlessly into the butter and sugar, creating a smoother, more cohesive batter.
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract – The supporting actor that makes all the other flavors sing. Use the real stuff if you can!
• 2 cups all-purpose flour – The foundation of our bliss bar. Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife to avoid a dry, crumbly bar.
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder – Our leavening agent! This is what gives the bars a little lift and a soft, cake-like texture, as opposed to a dense, fudgy brownie.
• ½ teaspoon salt – Crucial for balancing all that sweetness and enhancing the other flavors. Don’t skip it!
• ½ cup dried cranberries – The star of the show! Their tartness is the perfect counterpoint to the sweet base. I prefer unsweetened or lightly sweetened ones.
• ¾ cup white chocolate chips – Or you can chop up a bar of white chocolate. This adds little pockets of creamy sweetness throughout every bite.
• Optional: ½ teaspoon ground ginger or 1 tsp orange zest – My little chef’s hack! A bit of ginger adds a warm, spicy undertone that’s amazing with cranberry. Orange zest in the base boosts the citrus notes that will appear later in the frosting.

For the Frosting & Topping:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened – Full-fat is best for flavor and texture here. Let it sit on the counter for at least an hour. Soft cream cheese is non-negotiable for a lump-free, silky frosting.
• 1 cup powdered sugar – Also called confectioner’s sugar. It dissolves instantly and gives us that smooth, dreamy frosting texture.
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract – A little more vanilla to round out the frosting.
• 1 teaspoon orange zest – This is the secret weapon! The bright, fresh citrus oil from the zest cuts through the richness and makes the whole bar taste… well, blissful.
• ½ cup white chocolate, melted (for drizzling) – Use a baking bar for this, not chips. Chips have stabilizers that can make melting and drizzling tricky.
• ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped (for topping) – A little pop of color and tartness on top makes them as beautiful as they are delicious.

How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars: A Step-by-Step Guide

Alright, team! Let’s fire up the oven and create some magic. Follow these steps, and you’ll have perfect bars every single time. I’ve sprinkled in all my best kitchen hacks along the way.

Step 1: Prep Like a Pro
First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). This is so important for even baking. While it’s heating up, grab your 9×13-inch pan. My absolute favorite method is to line it with parchment paper, leaving a little overhang on the two long sides. Why? This creates a “sling” that lets you lift the entire cooled slab of bars out of the pan effortlessly before frosting and slicing. No awkward knife maneuvering in the pan! If you don’t have parchment, just give the pan a good greasing with butter or baking spray.

Step 2: Create the Blondie Base
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted (and slightly cooled) butter and that packed brown sugar. You’ll want to whisk it for a good minute until it’s completely combined and looks thick and glossy. Next, beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Adding them one by one ensures they incorporate fully into the butter-sugar mixture. Now, switch to a spatula. Gently stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until *just* combined—a few streaks of flour are okay! Overmixing is the enemy of a tender bar. Finally, fold in the dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, and your optional ginger or orange zest until they’re evenly distributed.

Step 3: Bake to Perfection
Transfer your beautiful batter to your prepared pan and use your spatula to spread it into a smooth, even layer, pushing it into all the corners. Pop it into your preheated oven and bake for 22-25 minutes. You’re looking for the edges to be lightly golden brown and for the center to be *set*—it shouldn’t jiggle like Jell-O when you gently shake the pan. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter. Remember, it will continue to cook a bit as it cools in the pan!

Step 4: The All-Important Cool Down
This is the hardest part, but you MUST let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. I’m talking completely, 100%, no-warmth-whatsoever cool. If you try to frost a warm base, the frosting will melt into a sad, runny puddle, and we did not work this hard for a sad puddle. This usually takes a couple of hours. Use this time to clean up, maybe sip on some coffee, and practice your patience. It’s worth it, I promise.

Step 5: Whip Up the Dreamy Frosting
Once the base is cool, make your frosting. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until it’s smooth and creamy. This should only take about 30 seconds. Add in the powdered sugar, vanilla, and that magical orange zest. Beat on low speed at first (unless you want a powdered sugar cloud in your kitchen) and then increase to medium-high until everything is combined and the frosting is luxuriously smooth and lump-free.

Step 6: The Grand Finale (Assembly!)
Use an offset spatula or a butter knife to spread the frosting evenly over the entire cooled blondie base. Sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries artfully over the top. Now, melt your white chocolate for drizzling. The best way is in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second bursts, stirring between each burst until smooth. Transfer it to a small zip-top bag, snip a tiny corner off, and drizzle to your heart’s content! For clean, professional-looking slices, pop the whole pan into the refrigerator for at least an hour to let the frosting set. Then, use the parchment paper sling to lift the whole block out onto a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to slice it into triangles (cut into squares, then cut each square diagonally) or bars. Wipe the knife clean between cuts for pristine edges.

How to Serve These Show-Stopping Bars

Presentation is part of the fun! These bars are a holiday gift all on their own. For a classic coffee shop vibe, slice them into those signature triangles and arrange them on a beautiful platter or a cake stand. They’re the perfect sweet treat to have out for guests during a holiday party or open house.

They pair divinely with a hot cup of coffee, a mug of black tea, or even a glass of cold milk. For an extra-special dessert, crumble a bar over a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream—trust me on this one. If you’re giving them as gifts, they package up beautifully. Place them in a clear cellophane bag tied with a festive ribbon, or stack them in a holiday-themed cookie tin layered with parchment paper. They’re a edible piece of holiday cheer!

Get Creative: Blissful Variations

One of the best things about this recipe is how adaptable it is. Feel free to make it your own!

• The Citrus Swap: Not an orange fan? Try lemon zest instead! The lemon-cranberry combination is a classic for a reason. It’s incredibly bright and refreshing.
• Nutty for Bliss: Add a cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a wonderful crunch and toasty flavor. It adds a fantastic textural element.
• Dark Chocolate Desire: While white chocolate is traditional, swapping in dark chocolate chips (or a mix of both!) creates a deeper, richer flavor profile that chocolate lovers will adore.
• Gluten-Free Joy: You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend. I’ve had great success with brands like Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur.
• Coconut Craving: Add ½ cup of toasted coconut flakes to the batter along with the cranberries for a tropical twist.

Beau’s Chef Notes & Kitchen Stories

This recipe has been a labor of love. The first time I made them, I was so impatient that I frosted the base while it was still warm. Let’s just say I ended up with “Cranberry Swirl Soup Bars.” They tasted amazing, but they were a structural nightmare. Lesson learned! Now I’m a zealot about the cooling step.

I’ve also learned that the quality of your white chocolate matters, especially for the drizzle. A good baking bar (like Ghirardelli or Baker’s) will melt smoothly and taste far superior to cheap chips. And my final, most important tip: always zest your orange before you juice it! It’s a million times easier. These bars keep beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week… if they last that long!

Your Cranberry Bliss Bar Questions, Answered

Q: My bars turned out really cakey and dry. What happened?

A: The most common culprit is overmixing the batter once the flour is added, or overmeasuring the flour. Always spoon and level your flour—don’t scoop directly from the bag with the measuring cup, as this packs in too much. Also, make sure you’re not overbaking them. Check at the 22-minute mark!

Q: Can I freeze Cranberry Bliss Bars?

A: Absolutely! They freeze wonderfully. Assemble the bars completely, let the frosting set, and slice them. Place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet and “flash freeze” for an hour until solid. Then, you can transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Q: My frosting is lumpy! How can I fix it?

A: Lumpy frosting is almost always due to cream cheese that wasn’t fully softened. To salvage it, you can try beating it vigorously with a hand mixer or pushing it through a fine-mesh sieve. For next time, remember to take the cream cheese out of the fridge at least 1-2 hours before you start baking.

Q: Can I use fresh or frozen cranberries instead of dried?

A: I don’t recommend it for this specific recipe. Fresh or frozen cranberries contain a lot of moisture, which they’ll release during baking. This can make the bars soggy and alter the baking time significantly. The chewy, concentrated sweetness of dried cranberries is essential here.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

---

• Author: BeauCollier

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Soft, chewy blondies loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate, topped with a creamy orange-zested frosting, more cranberries, and a white chocolate drizzle—these bars are pure holiday magic in every bite. Perfect for parties, gifts, or cozy nights at home!

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

For the Blondie Bars:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

• 1½ cups packed brown sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & level)

• 1½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup dried cranberries

• ¾ cup white chocolate chips (or chopped bar)

• Optional: ½ tsp ground ginger or 1 tsp orange zest

For the Frosting & Topping:

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened

• 1 cup powdered sugar

• ½ tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp orange zest

• ½ cup white chocolate, melted (for drizzling)

• ¼ cup dried cranberries, chopped (for topping)

---

Instructions

Step 1: Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch pan with parchment paper for easy removal, or grease well.

Step 2: Make Blondie Base

1. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar until thick and glossy.

2. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla.

3. Gently stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

4. Fold in cranberries, white chocolate, and optional ginger or orange zest.

Step 3: Bake
Spread batter evenly in pan. Bake 22–25 minutes until edges are golden and center is set but still slightly moist. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 4: Make Frosting
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange zest. Beat until creamy and lump-free.

Step 5: Assemble

1. Spread frosting evenly over cooled blondie base.

2. Sprinkle chopped cranberries on top.

3. Drizzle melted white chocolate using a spoon or a piping bag.

4. Chill at least 1 hour for clean slicing. Cut into squares, then triangles (optional).

Notes

• Avoid overmixing once flour is added to prevent dry, cakey bars.

• Ensure cream cheese is fully softened for smooth frosting.

• Freeze fully assembled bars in a single layer; they keep up to 3 months.

• Use dried cranberries, not fresh/frozen, to avoid soggy bars.

Nutrition

• Calories: 280 kcal per bar
• Sugar: 28 g
• Fat: 14 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g

Nutritional Information (Per Bar)

Okay, let’s be real: these are a decadent holiday treat, not a health food! But it’s always good to know what you’re enjoying. This nutritional info is an estimate based on one bar when the recipe

Final Thoughts: Share the Bliss

There you have it, friends—your complete guide to creating the most unforgettable homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars. This recipe is more than just a list of ingredients and steps; it’s an invitation to create joy, to fill your home with the spirit of the season, and to make memories around the simple, powerful act of baking something with love.

Whether you’re whipping up a batch for a festive party, packaging them as heartfelt gifts, or simply treating yourself with a well-deserved coffee break, these bars are guaranteed to deliver that signature hit of sweet, tart, creamy bliss. They’re a testament to the fact that the most magical holiday traditions often start right in our own kitchens.