Easy Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars

Sweetness, creamy goodness and tart flavors are my favorite elements of a holiday dessert. You don’t have to get very fancy to make something absolutely delicious. I made these homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars for a few holiday parties this winter. Anyone who can follow directions can make these fancy and tasty treats!

Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe

Cranberry Bliss Bars combine the sweetness of white chocolate with the tart flavor of dried cranberries. The cream cheese brings the two together with the perfect amount of tangy creaminess!

White Chocolate & Cranberry Bars

• 2 sticks of butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. orange extract
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 oz. soft cream cheese (1 package)
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. orange extract
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 3 tbsp. white chocolate chips, melted (or 2 squares almond bark)

DIY Cranberry Bliss Bars Holiday Dessert

Baking Highlights

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, covering the edges.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes until slightly golden and firm. Don’t overbake or the bars will get too hard.

Instructions

Whisk together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla extract and orange extract, whisking until blended. Add the ginger, baking powder, salt and flour until just combined. Stir in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries. Spread the batter evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, approximately 1/3 inch thick. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes until slightly golden and firm. Allow the bars to fully cool before icing them.

Cranberry Bliss Bar Icing

Make homemade Cranberry Bliss Bar icing by mixing the cream cheese and powdered sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the vanilla extract and orange extract and mix well. Spread the icing onto the fully cooled bars. Sprinkle them generously with chopped dried cranberries. Finally, drizzle melted white chocolate over the top with a spoon. Once the cream cheese icing is set, you can cut the bars into triangles or squares.

I stored my Cranberry Bliss Bars in the refrigerator. I also discovered I could easily make these treats the day before a holiday party. These delicious bars are sweet and chewy with a tart flavor (thanks to the cranberries).

Melted butter and brown sugar give these bars their rich flavor.

The white chocolate chips provide chunky sweetness in each bite!

Chopped dried cranberries offset the sweetness with their perfectly tart flavor.

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a festive treat to take to a party. Of course, if you make them for your own family, they won’t last long! I cut my Cranberry Bliss Bars into triangles, which I think look more elegant than squares. The melted white chocolate hardens and gives these bars a crunch when you bite into one.

Homemade Cranberry Bliss Bars have treats on top as well as inside the cookie! The white chocolate and chopped cranberries inside the bars as well as on top provide delicious flavor all throughout.

A Few Extra Tips

Don’t over bake Cranberry Bliss Bars or they will get too hard.

The parchment paper allows you to easily remove these bars from the baking sheet. I love parchment paper and rarely bake without it!

Allow the bars to fully cool before adding the layer of icing. If the bars are warm, the icing will melt off.

Only make a double batch if you are ok with eating all the leftovers! Cranberry Bliss Bars are soo good.

Katie Wallace

Hi, I’m Katie! I live with my husband and 4 kids in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I love Jesus, coffee, creative projects, photography, and traveling. I’ve previously worked as a web designer, journalist, and barista. I hope you enjoy our creative projects and family adventures!