Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks Copycat Recipe • FoodnService

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There’s no need to order at Starbucks this holiday season when you can easily make your own Cranberry Bliss Bars from scratch! They’re buttery and sweet, loaded with white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, and topped with cream cheese frosting!

Stacked cranberry bliss bars on a wire cooling rack.

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Why not save yourself some extra money this holiday by making this Cranberry Bliss Bars Starbucks Copycat Recipe from the comfort of your own kitchen?! They taste just like the real deal, and you can whip up a batch whenever those cravings hit!

This homemade version of Starbucks cranberry bliss bars is going to quickly become a favorite holiday treat in your household! Ditch the lines and extra expense at Starbucks and get baking!

If you love making homemade versions of your favorite Starbucks treats, be sure to try my Starbucks Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Starbucks Copycat Blueberry Muffins, or Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Mocha Cupcakes.

Hand reaching for a cranberry bliss bar, remaining cranberry bliss bars on parchment paper on a wire cooling rack.

🌟 WHY I LOVE CRANBERRY BLISS BARS STARBUCKS COPYCAT RECIPE

Starbucks copycat recipes will save you a lot of money over time. That’s why I’ve started to make my own Starbucks Cinnamon Coffee Cake, Starbucks Copycat Blueberry Muffins, and Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso Mocha Cupcakes. Today, I’m adding to this list with these scrumptious cranberry bliss bars.

While these cranberry bliss bars are perfect for the holidays, using dried cranberries and pantry staple ingredients means that you get to enjoy these dessert bars all year round too!

Adjust the choice of toppings or add in some orange extract to make these cranberry bliss bars your own. They’re perfect for holiday exchange parties, as a sweet treat to keep in the house for the family to enjoy, or to treat your guests over Christmas!

Overhead view of cranberry bliss bars on parchment paper on a wire cooling rack.

🍽 KEY INGREDIENTS

Cranberry bliss bars ingredients on a marble countertop.

Batter – Melted butter, light brown sugar, a large egg, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips.
Cream cheese frosting – Combine softened cream cheese, softened butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract.
Topping – These yummy bliss bars are topped with dried cranberries, also known as Craisins. You can easily find craisins in your local grocery stores and online.

Swaps

Sugar – Granulated sugar can be used instead of brown sugar.
Flour – I’ve used all-purpose flour, but you can use gluten-free flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill flour.
Dried Cranberries – If you don’t like Craisins, you can always exchange other dried fruits in lieu of them. Dried figs, blueberries, cherries, and even apricots would go great on top!

Close up of a hand holding a single cranberry bliss bar, additional cranberry bliss bars on a wire cooling rack underneath.

🥣 EQUIPMENT

You’ll need an 8×11 pan, foil, mixing bowls, and a mixer.

🔪 HOW TO MAKE

Mix, bake, and decorate; that’s all that’s needed to make these scrumptious holiday-inspired cranberry bliss bars. Follow my easy step-by-step instructions and helpful cooking tips.

Preparations

Preheat the oven and line the baking tray with foil. Grease the top of the foil.

Cooking Instructions

Step 1
Combine the melted butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and egg in a mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the flour mixture to the butter-sugar mixture.

Mixing bowl with cranberry bliss bars batter mixture.

Step 2
Add 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips to the batter and combine.

Bowl with cranberry bliss bar mixture, dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Step 3
Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the bars are lightly brown on top. Once baked, allow the bars to cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Cranberry bliss bar mixture spread evenly in a baking dish lined with foil.

Step 4
Make the frosting using a mixer. Spread the frosting over the cranberry bars. Top the bars with dried cranberries, and drizzle the bars with melted white chocolate.

Bowl with cream cheese frosting for topping cranberry bliss bars.

💭 COOKING TIPS

Allow ingredients such as cream cheese, butter, and eggs to reach room temperature for mixing for better flavor and consistency.

Allow the baked cranberry bliss bars to cool completely before adding the cream cheese frosting and toppings, or the consistency will become overly runny.

An easy way to get the baked bliss bars out of the baking dish or pan is by lining the dish with parchment paper with enough overhang on each side to use as handles.

If you aren’t sure whether these bliss bars have baked enough, insert a toothpick into the center, which should come out clean.

📖 RECIPE VARIATIONS

How could these cranberry bliss bars get any better, you ask?! Here are a few easy and delicious variations you could make.

Add chopped pistachios, walnuts, or pecans to the bliss bar mixture for added texture, and enhanced flavors.
Use almond extract in these cranberry bliss bars instead of vanilla for a slightly different flavor.
Spicen up the dough! Add some more layers of holiday cheer and warmer flavors by adding in nutmeg, cardamom, and even some pumpkin pie spice!

Overhead view of cranberry bliss bars on parchment parchment on a wire cooling rack.

🥗 WHAT TO SERVE WITH CRANBERRY BLISS BARS

These cranberry bliss bars are a perfect dessert for the holidays or to take to potlucks. Here’s how I like to serve them:

Ice Cream

Serve these sweet and tarty bars with a bowl of creamy ice cream as a delicious dessert. A big scoop of velvety vanilla ice cream would go simply divine with them!

Other Holiday Treats

Create a holiday-inspired dessert board by combining these cranberry bliss bars with other treats, such as Grinch Christmas Cookies, Christmas Peanut Butter Fudge, Christmas Doughnuts Recipe, Christmas Lights Cookies, and Christmas Wreath Cupcakes!

🙋 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I MAKE THESE BLISS BARS IN ADVANCE?

Absolutely! These cranberry bliss bars can be made 1-2 days ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

ARE THESE DESSERT BARS GLUTEN-FREE?

This recipe calls for all-purpose flour which is not gluten-free. Use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free flour or another brand that you trust if you have gluten sensitivities.

DOES STARBUCKS SELL CRANBERRY BLISS BARS ALL YEAR?

Cranberry bliss bars are a seasonal menu item at Starbucks, offered during the winter months and quite popular around Christmas. Thankfully, you can make these treats any time of the year from the comfort of your kitchen with dried cranberries and pantry staples.

WHY ARE THEY CALLED BLISS BARS?

These buttery and sweet cranberry bliss bars are referred to as bliss bars because of how delicious they are! Each mouthful is pure bliss!!

🧊 STORING AND ♨️ REHEATING

FRIDGE

Store your cranberry bliss bars in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

FREEZER

They can also be stored for longer in the freezer. I recommend wrapping them with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.

🍳 MORE DESSERT BARS YOU’LL LOVE

Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars

Piña Colada Cheesecake Bars

S’mores Bars Recipe

Best Sweet Potato Pie Bars

👪 SERVING SIZE

This recipe makes 12 generously sized bars. You can easily double the recipe when serving a larger crowd, or slice the cranberry bliss bars into smaller pieces.

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📋 RECIPE

Yield: 12 Bars