Go Back
Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

Festive bars featuring tangy cranberries, white chocolate, and warm spices topped with cream cheese frosting. Perfect for holiday celebrations and gifts.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24 Squares
Calories 165 kcal

Ingredients
  

For the Bars:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • ¾ cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • ½ cup white chocolate chips

For the Frosting:

  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest

For Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons white chocolate chips, melted
  • 2 tablespoons dried cranberries, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon orange zest

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line pan with parchment paper leaving overhang on the sides.
  • Whisk flour, ginger, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl until it's all mixed up.
  • Beat butter and sugar with a mixer for 3 minutes until it looks light and super fluffy.
  • Add eggs and vanilla to the butter mix and beat until everything is smooth and combined.
  • Slowly mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients just until you don't see any dry flour left.
  • Fold in orange zest, chopped cranberries, and white chocolate chips gently until they're spread out evenly.
  • Spread batter in prepared pan evenly and bake for 18 to 22 minutes until bars are set.
  • Cool bars in a pan on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before you do anything else.
  • Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, then add powdered sugar and orange zest and mix.
  • Spread frosting over cooled bars using a spatula to make it smooth and even on top.
  • Drizzle melted white chocolate over the frosting and sprinkle cranberries and orange zest on top for decoration.
  • Put in fridge for 15 minutes to set frosting, then lift out and cut into 24 squares.

Notes

  • Room temperature ingredients mix way better and make your bars and frosting turn out super smooth.
  • Slightly underbaked bars stay moist and soft, while overbaked bars get dry and crumbly instead of nice.
  • Chop cranberries small, so they go everywhere evenly and don't all sink to the bottom of the pan.
  • Full cooling stops frosting from melting and sliding right off, so your bars look pretty and perfect.
  • Store in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days to keep them fresh and safe.