Dessert

Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

ByJulian Dempsey October 21, 2025October 21, 2025

Introduction

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a delightful Starbucks copycat treat featuring a soft vanilla cake base studded with tart dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. Topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting and drizzled with white chocolate, these bars bring festive flavors and impressive presentation right to your kitchen.

The image shows five triangular pieces of a dessert bar arranged on white parchment paper over a white marbled surface. Each piece has two layers: a thick, light brown base that looks crumbly and textured, and a smooth, creamy white top layer that is decorated with red dried cranberries embedded in the cream. Thin white icing lines are drizzled across the top of each slice. Two slices are garnished with bright orange citrus peel curls on the top corner. Scattered around the dessert slices are several loose dried cranberries and a few orange peel curls, adding color contrast to the scene. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

For the blondie layer:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (7.5 oz)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
12 tbsp unsalted butter (6 oz)
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (10.5 oz)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp grated orange zest
3/4 cup dried cranberries (3.5 oz, loosely packed)
1 1/3 cups white chocolate, chopped or chips (8 oz)

For the frosting:

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (6 oz)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
2/3 cup white chocolate, melted (4 oz)

For the topping:

1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped (2.3 oz, loosely packed)
1 2/3 cups white chocolate, melted (10 oz)

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides. Spray the parchment again with nonstick spray to prevent sticking.
Step 2: In a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Continue stirring frequently until it foams and milk solids turn golden brown. Remove from heat and pour the browned butter into a bowl, scraping in all the browned bits. Let cool completely.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate large bowl, combine the cooled browned butter and light brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and orange zest, stirring until fully combined.
Step 4: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula until just combined—avoid overmixing. Fold in the white chocolate and dried cranberries. Spread evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until edges are golden and the center is set. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Step 5: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese, sifted confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, orange juice, and finely grated orange zest until fluffy and smooth. Once the bars are completely cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Chill for about 10 minutes if desired to set the frosting before decorating.
Step 6: Sprinkle the chopped dried cranberries evenly over the frosting. Drizzle the melted white chocolate decoratively on top. For easier drizzling, place melted chocolate in a zip-top bag and snip off a small corner. Refrigerate until frosting and drizzle are firm.
Step 7: Use the parchment overhang to lift the bars from the pan. Cut into triangles or desired shapes. Serve and enjoy!

Tips & Variations

Use quality white chocolate for the best flavor; Ghirardelli or Guittard are excellent choices.
You can substitute dried cranberries with dried cherries, strawberries, or mini chocolate chips.
Lemon or lime zest and juice work well instead of orange for a citrus twist.
Make sure cream cheese is fully softened for a smooth frosting texture.
Don’t overbake the bars; pull them out when the center is slightly underdone for chewy texture.
Chill the bars before slicing for clean, professional-looking cuts.

Storage

Store the cranberry bliss bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. Layer bars between parchment paper to prevent sticking. The frosting flavor improves after a day or two. For longer storage, freeze individual squares wrapped in plastic wrap in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving. These bars are delicious chilled and do not require reheating.

How to Serve

The image shows sixteen square pieces of dessert arranged in a 4 by 4 grid on a white marbled surface. Each piece has three layers: a base layer of light golden cake, a middle thick creamy white layer, and a top layer with a smooth white icing that is drizzled with thin white lines of icing. The top is scattered evenly with small red and dark red dried fruit pieces, mostly cranberries, creating a contrast with the white icing. The edges of each square are clean and the texture looks soft and moist. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular chocolate instead of white chocolate?

While white chocolate gives the authentic Starbucks flavor, you can substitute vanilla or milk chocolate chips. The taste will differ, but the bars will still be delicious.