Whole Wheat Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat)
These better-for-you copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars are made with whole grains, less sugar, & half as much sodium as the original.
Servings: 24 bars
Calories: 279kcal
Cost: $13.70 or $0.57/bar
Equipment
- 1 9x13 baking pan
- 1 stand mixer
Ingredients
Cranberry Bliss Bars:
- 1 ½ cups brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
- ½ cup white chocolate chips
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp orange extract
- 2 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¾ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1 cup white chocolate chips divided
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp orange extract
- ½ cup unsweetened dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line a 9x13 baking dish with parchment paper on the bottom and up the sides (so they can be easily lifted out after baking).
- Add brown sugar, butter, and ½ cup white chocolate chips to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking frequently until everything is melted and well combined. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes or until warm but not hot.
- Slowly whisk in the room temperature eggs, then add the vanilla and orange extract. Set the mixture aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Add the warm brown sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and stir until almost combined. Add the dried cranberries and continue stirring until well-combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish, then bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the blondies are slightly golden on the edges. Allow the blondies to cool completely at room temperature before frosting.
- Make the frosting. Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl in 15 minutes intervals until smooth. Set aside.
- Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth. Add all but ¼ cup of the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture, along with the vanilla and orange extracts. Beat again until smooth and well combined.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting over the cooled blondies evenly, then top with the dried cranberries. Drizzle with remaining ¼ cup melted white chocolate. Store in the fridge for 1-2 hours before cutting.
- Once the bliss bars are completely cooled in the fridge, lift them out of the baking pan and cut into 12 squares. Then cut each of those squares diagonally to create 24 triangle bliss bars. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bar | Calories: 279kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 15g | Sodium: 116mg | Fiber: 2g
