Cranberry Bliss Bars are my copycat recipe of the classic Starbucks seasonal treat featuring dried cranberries, white chocolate and ginger.
Cranberry Bliss Bars
By Sue Lau | Palatable Pastime
Alas (Poor Yorick!) the final day of #CranberryWeek is here, Thanksgiving is now history, and our jeans are that much tighter. We’re in the home stretch of the year now, as Santa Claus pulled the caboose on the Macy’s parade. Soon snowflakes will be flying, we’ll all want hot lattes, and a trip to Starbucks for a Bliss Bar. Right?
Wrong.
Now why on earth would you want to buy theirs when you can make a delicious pan of these at home? And with this recipe, you can.
So have fun perusing it, making it, and (of course!) eating it, and have a few extra to share with your friends over a pot of hot coffee. And don’t forget to check out the other bloggers below, who offer up their last few cranberry favorites.
And not to be intentionally short, but I have to run. Black Friday is waiting. Right? I’ll be back tomorrow with my recipe for turkey crepes royale. They are the perfect way to use up that bit of leftover bird, if there is any after all the feasting and then the obligatory turkey sandwiches later on. But if you’re like my mom, who always bought the largest bird she could get her hands on, I’m sure you will be on the hunt for an idea. So save some turkey and get ready to make crepes with me. I even have a video to help you learn how to do it. C’ya then-
~Sue
Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Bars:
- 8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1-1/4 cups light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins), finely chopped
- 1 cup white chocolate chips, finely chopped
- 1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped
- Frosting:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1-1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange extract
- Other:
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries (Craisins), finely chopped
- 4 ounce bar white chocolate, shaved
- zest of one orange
Method:
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line a 10″x15″ jelly roll pan with parchment paper.
- Cream butter and brown sugar in an electric mixer, then add eggs one at a time, allowing to incorporate after each addition.
- Sift together the ground ginger, salt and flour; add to mixer incrementally and scrape down mixer (not all at once); scrape down bowl.
- Stir in the cranberries, chocolate chips and ginger by hand, and spread the batter in the jelly roll pan.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes until lightly firm to the touch, but not hard like cookies.
- Cool completely in the pan.
- To make the frosting, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar and extracts together until smooth.
- Spread frosting on cooled bars and sprinkle with remaining cranberries, chocolate shavings, and orange zest.
- Cut bars into three long strips, then into four rectangular bars and then in half diagonally to make 24 triangle shaped bars.
- Allow frosting to set up and dry, then keep bars refrigerated until needed, stored between waxed paper.
From the kitchen of palatablepastime.com

Welcome to #CranberryWeek, hosted by Caroline’s Cooking and A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We’ll be sharing cranberry-inspired creations all week long in celebration of national cranberry day. Search #CranberryWeek to keep up to date and follow the #CranberryWeek Pinterest board for more cranberry inspiration. But first, see all the other cranberry recipes being shared today:
- Cranberry Apple Sauce from Cooking With Carlee
- Cranberry Bliss Bars from Palatable Pastime
- Cranberry Cheesecake Brownies by The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Cranberry Cheesecake Dream Bars from Life Currents
- Cranberry Grains Power Bowl from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Cranberry Streusel Bread from Hostess At Heart
- Maple Cranberry Sauce from Cricket’s Confections
- Pumpkin Dump Cake with Cranberries from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Roasted Cranberry Bourbon Crush from Take Two Tapas
- Savory Cranberry and Cheese Tart from Caroline’s Cooking
- Tuna Salad with Cranberries from Sew You Think You Can Cook
You might also like:
Cranberry Orange Pistachio Chip Cookies
Can’t Find a Recipe? | Help
Recipe Index A-M | Recipe Index N-Z | Home
This is a beautiful recipe to finish such a fun week. It would be delicious with a hot pot of coffee and someone to share it with!
These look perfect! I’ll be baking and taking these to our holiday party.
These sound a tasty end to the week (and I agree much better than heading to Starbucks 🙂 )