Description
These Cranberry Bliss Bars are an incredibly soft, melt-in-your-mouth treat that elevates the classic holiday favorite. By balancing brown sugar and butter with bright orange zest and a hint of ginger, these bars offer a fresher and softer texture than any store-bought version. They are the perfect mix of tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
- For the Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest, finely grated
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Toppings:
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted for drizzling
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Prep and Base: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Whisk melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Gently fold in flour, ginger, and salt. Stop as soon as no white streaks remain to keep the bars soft. Fold in 3/4 cup chopped cranberries and white chocolate chips.
- Bake: Spread batter into the pan and bake for 18-21 minutes until edges are light golden but the center is still soft. Let cool completely.
- Frosting: Beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and orange zest; mix until creamy.
- Assemble: Spread frosting over the cooled base. Sprinkle with remaining cranberries and orange zest.
- Drizzle and Set: Drizzle with melted white chocolate. Chill for 30 minutes for clean cuts, then slice into triangles.
Notes
Use room-temperature cream cheese to avoid a lumpy frosting. Chop the dried cranberries to ensure a bit of fruit in every bite. For the softest results, do not overbake; the center should still look slightly underdone when pulled from the oven.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 22g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g