Cranberry Bliss Bars with Orange (Print Version)

Buttery cranberry bars with orange cream cheese frosting and white chocolate drizzle—perfect for any celebration.

# 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 orange juice

→ Topping

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

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined without overmixing.
06 - Fold in chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chips using a spatula.
07 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing the top.
08 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges are golden brown.
09 - Allow bars to cool in pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment and transfer to 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 completely cool, spread frosting evenly over bars.
12 - Sprinkle with additional chopped dried cranberries and drizzle melted white chocolate over the top using a spoon or piping bag.
13 - Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're buttery and tender with just enough tartness from cranberries to keep things interesting, not cloying.
  • The orange cream cheese frosting is what makes people stop mid-bite and ask what you did differently.
  • You can have these cooling on a rack while you shower and frost them before dinner.
02 -
  • Don't frost these while they're still warm or the frosting melts into a puddle, which I learned the hard way and had to start over.
  • Chopping your cranberries before you mix them in prevents them from clumping into one heavy spot at the bottom of the pan.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs and butter make a noticeable difference in the texture, so plan ahead by pulling them from the fridge 30 minutes early.
  • Melting white chocolate in the microwave in 15-second intervals with stirring in between prevents it from seizing or turning grainy.
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