Cranberry Bliss Bars with Orange Frosting (Printable Version)

Buttery bars filled with tart cranberries and white chocolate, crowned with zesty orange cream cheese frosting and a sweet white chocolate drizzle.

# Ingredient List:

→ Bar Base

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 1 cup packed brown sugar
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 3 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
06 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1 cup dried cranberries, chopped
11 - 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

→ Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

12 - 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 1 tablespoon orange zest
15 - 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

→ Topping

16 - 1/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped for garnish
17 - 1/3 cup white chocolate, melted for drizzle

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on sides for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
05 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined without overmixing.
06 - Using a spatula, fold chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter.
07 - Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread evenly, smoothing the surface.
08 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges are golden brown.
09 - Allow bars to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then lift out using parchment paper and transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling.
10 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in orange zest and fresh orange juice until creamy and spreadable.
11 - Once completely cooled, spread frosting evenly over the bars.
12 - Sprinkle additional chopped dried cranberries over frosting if desired. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top using a spoon or piping bag.
13 - Cut into squares or rectangles and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The orange cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness in a way that makes each bite feel balanced, not cloying.
  • You can mix the batter by hand if you want, but an electric mixer makes it so much faster and fluffier.
  • They hold up beautifully in the fridge for days, and honestly taste even better after the flavors settle overnight.
02 -
  • Do not skip cooling the bars completely before frosting or the cream cheese will slide right off and pool in the corners.
  • Chop the cranberries smaller than you think you need to, big chunks throw off the texture and make cutting messy.
  • If your batter looks dry or crumbly, you overmeasured the flour, next time spoon and level instead of scooping.
03 -
  • Line your pan with parchment in both directions so you have overhang on all sides, it makes lifting and cutting so much cleaner.
  • Melt the white chocolate slowly in fifteen second bursts and stir constantly, it seizes up fast if you rush it.
  • Press a few extra cranberries and white chocolate chips into the top of the batter before baking for a bakery style finish that photographs beautifully.
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