I am begging you to make these Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars. You’re simply missing out if you don’t.

These were heavenly. Decadent. Outstanding.

I stumbled across them on Recipe Girl’s blog…

They are basically a blondie bar topped with an amazing white chocolate cream cheese (with a hint of orange zest) frosting.

You know the Bliss Bars that you find at Starbucks every winter? Here they are, year round…

I could hardly wait to take the photos of these. The smell that permeates throughout your kitchen when baking these is enough to make one go crazy WITHOUT eating them. Good thing the recipe yields a 9×13″ pan full of these, because I’m fairly certain I ate 1/3 of the pan before finding my camera.

Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars

 

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Prep time

30 mins

Cook time

20 mins

Total time

50 mins

 

A rich and decadent blondie recipe that is very reminiscent of Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars!

Author: Sarah @ Miss CandiQuik (adapted from Recipe Girl)

Serves: 24

Ingredients

• BLONDIE LAYER:
• · ¾ cup (1½ sticks) salted butter, cubed
• · 1½ cups packed light brown sugar
• · 2 large eggs
• · ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
• · 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
• · 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• · ¼ teaspoon salt
• · ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• · ½ cup dried cranberries
• · 6 oz. Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Coating, coarsely chopped
• FROSTING:
• · 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• · 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• · 6 oz. Vanilla CANDIQUIK® Coating, melted
• · ½ cup dried cranberries, chopped
• · 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13 X 9" baking pan with nonstick spray.
2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter in the microwave; stir in brown sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture.
4. Fold in the cranberries and chopped CANDIQUIK (the batter will be thick).
5. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes until edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool completely on a wire rack.
6. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add half (3 oz.) of the melted CandiQuik and orange zest; beat until blended. Frost blondies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining (3 oz.) melted Vanilla CANDIQUIK.
7. Cut into square or triangle-shaped bars. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Notes/Tips

*each square (or block) of CANDIQUIK is 2 oz.

3.2.1255

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13×9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray.

2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter in the microwave; stir in brown sugar. Scrape the butter & sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Fold in the cranberries and chopped CandiQuik (the batter will be thick).

3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes until edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not over bake). Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended. Gradually add half (3 oz) of the melted CandiQuik and orange zest; beat until blended. Frost blondies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining (3 oz.) melted Vanilla CandiQuik.

Cut into square or triangle-shaped bars if you’re feeling fancy.

Store bars in the refrigerator (if there are any left). 

  Happy Baking!

If you like this recipe, you’ll also love this Cranberry Orange Pecan BARK