No need to track to the coffee shop, these easy Cranberry Bliss Bars are blissfully delicious. Soft, tender, citrus spiced bars are spread with a decadent cream cheese frosting. So amazing.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time28 minutesmins
Total Time43 minutesmins
Course: cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry bliss bars
Servings: 24
Calories: 277kcal
Author: Kellie
Cost: $10
Equipment
baking dish
Ingredients
For the bars:
1cupbuttersoftened
2/3cuplight brown sugar
2⁄3 cup granulated sugar
3large eggsroom temperature
1 1/2teaspoonsorange extract
1teaspoonvanilla extract
1teaspoonorange zest
2cupsflour
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
1teaspoonground ginger
1cupdried cranberries
1cupwhite chocolate chips
For the frosting:
4ouncescream cheesesoftened
2tablespoonsbuttersoftened
3cupsconfectioners' sugar
1tablespoonfresh orange zest
1tablespoonfresh orange juice
For the topping:
1⁄3 cup craisinschopped
1⁄3 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350˚F (325 for a glass or dark pan).
Coat a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray and line with parchment.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs, orange extract and vanilla. Mix in the flour, baking powder, and ginger and mix to combine.
Fold in the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.
Spread the batter evenly in the baking dish.
Bake at 350˚F for 26-28 minutes until light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool completely.
To make the frosting, add the cream cheese and butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until fluffy.
Add orange juice, zest and confectioners sugar beating until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (adding 1 teaspoon of milk if it’s still too thick). Spread evenly over COOLED bars.
Chop the remaining cranberries coarsely and sprinkle over the bars.
Melt the white chocolate chips in the microwave 1 minute; stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.
Let the bars cool for one hour or until the white chocolate is set before cutting.
To make triangles, cut into 20 squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts) and then cut each square in half diagonally.
Notes
Cranberry Bliss Bars can be made up to 5 days in advance. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.