Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)

Cookin'Diva's Note:

You'll find these bars at Starbucks during special holidays. The texture is like a chewy brownie, but the flavors include white chocolate, zesty orange, and cranberry, finished with a cream cheese frosting. NOTE - this recipe uses a 10x15 pan. Many reviewers have reduced the sugar with excellent results, and I support doing that! I also posted a simpler version to make in a 9x13 pan: Cranberry Bliss Bars (Easy Version), #350660. For Valentine's Day, I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter and tinted the icing pink. They were beautiful!

• Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins
• Prep Time: 40 mins
• Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 40

BARS

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks, very soft)
• 1 cup brown sugar (some cooks reduce this to 2/3 cup)
• 1⁄3; cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• ¾ cup craisins (dried cranberries)
• ¾ cup white chocolate chips

FROSTING

• 3 ounces cream cheese , softened
• 2 tablespoons butter , softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon orange extract (or vanilla)

TOPPING

• 1⁄3; cup craisins , chopped
• 1 -2 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1⁄3; cup white chocolate chips
• ½ teaspoon canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 for a glass or dark pan). Prepare a 10x15 by lining it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray.
2. BARS: With an electric mixer, beat together softened butter and sugars 3-5 minutes until light; gently blend in eggs and orange extract (don't overbeat eggs). Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly. Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.
3. Spread thick batter in prepared 10x15 pan. Bake 350 for 20-24 minutes until light brown AT EDGES and a skewer tests clean. Don't overbake or your bars will be dry. Let it cool completely. NOTE: If you use a 9x13 pan, the bars will be thicker and will take 26-28 minutes.
4. FROSTING: Blend cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add orange extract and confectioners sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (adding 1 t. milk if needed). Spread evenly over COOLED bars.
5. GARNISH: Use a zester to remove rind from an orange; sprinkle zest over frosted bars. Chop 1/3 cup Craisins coarsely; sprinkle over frosted bars.
6. DRIZZLE: Mix white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute; stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.
7. Allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting. **To make signature Starbuck triangles, cut into 20 large squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts with the knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles.

Reviews

[dtwalter_8824544]

Fabulous copycat! People may criticize the richness/sweetness, but it's no sweeter than the Starbuck's version. If you want a replica - this is it. If you want a low sugar dessert, you wouldn't be buying this at Starbucks anyhow.

I have had a craving for these for years, but after discovering my allergy to gluten, figured it was another thing I couldn't have. I weighed 1 c. all purpose flour and measured 135 grams. This is what I used to substitute my GF flours. I used brown rice flour (90 g), sweet rice flour(65g), tapioca flour (65g) & potato starch (50g)

Other than that change for my needs, I made one more. I added 1/2 tsp salt to the batter. I brought them to a party where there were a lot of gluten free eaters, as well as not. They were a hit with everyone. I do agree that using the orange extract yields better results.

I used an 11x17 baking sheet, sprayed it well with cooking spray and spread it out. I cut them into 2-3 bite triangles and it's just right.

[Darkroses92]

This is a GREAT recipe but for my family, it was way too sweet.

BARS
I cut the brown sugar from 1 cup --> to 3/4 cup
and 3/4 cup of white chocolate chips --> to 1/3 cup

FROSTING
I cut the 3 cups of confectioners sugar --> 1 cup

They tasted so much better with less sugar. I also don't plan on getting/giving diabetes anytime soon.

As for the texture, be careful as it will be dry if you don't cut the baking time in half! I baked mine at 350 for exactly 15 minutes and they turned out wonderful. Just as dense [although not as squishy] as the Starbucks version. If you want a clear sign, look for the brown at the edges, NOT the whole pan. I made this mistake the first time and they turned out a bit dry. I also creamed the butter instead of melting like one reviewer recommended.

Finally, do NOT skip out on the orange extract for the vanilla. Yes the vanilla is more common, but the orange, ginger, and cranberry flavor is what makes these bars so delish.

Overall this recipe is a 4.5, but since I had to make a few adjustments, I gave it a 4. Try it for yourself though!

[DuChick]

Oh, these are sooo good! I've never had the Starbucks bars, so can't compare. These were a bit time-intensive, but so worth the impressive results. After cutting into triangles, I swirled pink-tinted icing over the tops for a lovely Valentine effect. The orange, ginger and cranberry flavors meld so wonderfully! Thanks for sharing this!