Cranberry Bliss Bars
These Cranberry Bliss Bars are soft, tangy, and sweet, featuring orange zest, white chocolate, and tart dried cranberries, perfect for sharing during the holidays.
Ingredients
For the bars
- 1.5 cups packed light brown sugar
- 1 each zest of 1 orange
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 sticks
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
For the frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
- Extra orange zest (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the brown sugar and orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the oils.
- Add the melted butter and whisk until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Stir in the vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, ground ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Fold in the 1 cup cranberries and the white chocolate chips.
Baking
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the edges are golden and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
- Let the bars cool in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then lift them out using the parchment and cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese and softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars. Sprinkle with the chopped cranberries and extra orange zest if you like.
- Chill for 1 hour to set the frosting.
Serving
- Slice into triangles or squares and serve.
Notes
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Unfrosted bars can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw and frost later. Frosted bars can be frozen for up to 1 month to protect the frosting texture.