Cranberry Bliss Bars (Print Version)

Buttery cranberry bars with orange cream cheese frosting and white chocolate drizzle—perfect holiday treats.

# What You'll Need:

→ Bar Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

→ Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

→ Topping

16 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
17 - 1/3 cup white chocolate, melted

# Cooking Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, allowing overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredient mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined. Do not overmix.
06 - Using a spatula, fold chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed.
07 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly, smoothing the top surface.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges are golden brown.
09 - Allow bars to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment overhang and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in orange zest and orange juice until creamy and spreadable.
11 - Once bars have cooled completely, spread frosting evenly over the entire surface.
12 - Sprinkle chopped dried cranberries over frosting if desired. Drizzle melted white chocolate over top using a spoon or piping bag.
13 - Cut into squares or rectangles and serve immediately or refrigerate.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The orange zest in the frosting cuts through the sweetness and makes every bite feel bright and balanced.
  • You can mix the batter by hand if you want, but an electric mixer makes it foolproof and fast.
  • They hold up beautifully in the fridge, so you can bake ahead and actually enjoy your party.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parchment paper overhang—trying to cut bars in the pan is messy and you'll lose those clean edges.
  • If your frosting looks curdled, your cream cheese was too cold; let it sit at room temp for 10 minutes and beat again.
  • Chopping the cranberries smaller makes slicing so much easier and ensures they don't pull apart the bars.
03 -
  • Use a light hand when folding in the cranberries and chips so you don't deflate the batter.
  • Zest your orange before you juice it—it's nearly impossible to zest a juiced orange.
  • If you want super clean cuts, chill the frosted bars for 20 minutes before slicing.
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