Cranberry Bliss Bars

Every Winter, the global coffee chain, Starbucks, captivates our taste buds with an arsenal of holiday concoctions--from gingerbread and eggnog lattés to peppermint and salted caramel hot chocolate. But Starbucks' holiday charms don't just lie in their wide choice of beverages, but in their selection of baked goods. The cranberry bliss bar is a delicious treat that appears only around the holidays, and that pairs wonderfully with a cup of coffee or cocoa on a wintry day.

While cranberry bliss bars can be a tad bit expensive, this copy-cat recipe will keep your sweet tooth happy without breaking the bank. They even taste the same--so much so, that today I was alternating bites between a "real" bar and one of these and tasted no difference. So, whip up a batch of these, brew a cup of coffee, and let it snow!

The Recipe:


This will make 42 triangle-shaped bars.


For the bars:

1 cup butter (2 sticks, very soft)

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsps either orange or vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 tsps baking powder

1 tsp ground ginger

3/4 cup craisins

3/4 cup white chocolate chips


For the frosting:

3 ounces softened cream cheese

2 tbsps unsalted butter

3 cups confectioners' sugar

1 tsp orange or vanilla extract


For the topping:

1/3 cup chopped craisins

1-2 tbsps orange zest

1/3 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 tsp canola oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees farenheit and line a 10x15" pan with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars together for about three minutes until light. Add each egg one at a time and add the extract. Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and mix until just incorporated. Add the cranberries and chips and mix.

Spread the batter evenly and bake for 20-25 minutes until brown only at the edges (or until a knife comes out clean). Cool completely.

For the frosting, cream together the cream cheese and butter, then the extract. Then add the confectioners' sugar and beat until fluffy. Spread evenly over the cooled bars.

To make the garnish, sprinkle the zest over the bars and add coarsely-chopped craisins. To make the white chocolate drizzle, mix the and oil in a glass measuring cup and microwave for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.

Allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting and refrigerate. Cut into triangles for the signature Starbucks' look!