Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars

Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars - just like Starbucks, but homemade is always better. These bars are my favorite!!

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…

Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars (Starbucks copycat recipe!) @candiquik

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
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A rich and decadent blondie recipe that is very reminiscent of Starbuck's Cranberry Bliss Bars!
Author:
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.

 

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).  Cranberry Orange Bliss Bars @candiquik

  Happy Baking!

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

Cranberry Orange Pecan Bark  - @candiquik

Tell Me Something Sweet

  1. Doris says

    Did I do something wrong? My package of candiquik turned grainy and didn’t melt at all. I’m not able to use it. I was wanting to pour it over cereal, nuts,pretzels, etc. for a snack mix. I don’t want to make the same mistake again….or was it a stale package from the store.
    Doris

    • says

      Hi Doris –

      Without knowing exactly how you melted it, I’m not sure if you did anything wrong. Usually when it gets grainy it’s because the sugar became too hot and scorched. I always melt mine in the microwave, but you can certainly do it on the stovetop (or even oven) too, over low heat. If your microwave heats unevenly, this might be better.
      I begin microwaving the entire bar (in the tray it comes packaged in) for 1 minute. (Then I let it just sit in microwave for about a minute), then stir it very well (even flip over the square pieces) and microwave for an additional 15 seconds – that does the trick! Sometimes with a lower watt microwave it may need another 15 seconds.
      If you live in a humid climate or there is a lot of moisture in the air, this can affect the coating – then simply stir in a tablespoon (or 2) of Crisco or even vegetable oil to thin it out.

      Please reply so we can get this issue resolved! I would hate to see anyone having difficulties.
      Thanks for your comment!

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