Cranberry Bliss Bars with Orange Frosting (Printer-friendly)

Buttery bars loaded with cranberries and white chocolate, topped with tangy orange cream cheese frosting and sweet white chocolate drizzle.

# What You'll Need:

→ 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 orange juice

→ Topping

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

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang for easy removal.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, cream together softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
03 - Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract until fully 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. Do not overmix.
06 - Fold in chopped dried cranberries and white chocolate chips using a spatula.
07 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing the top surface.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or 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 to cool completely.
10 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Mix in orange zest and orange juice until creamy and spreadable.
11 - Once completely cool, spread frosting evenly over the bars.
12 - Sprinkle with additional chopped dried cranberries if desired. Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top using a spoon or piping bag.
13 - Cut bars into squares or rectangles and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate creates that perfect balance we all crave in holiday treats
  • That orange cream cheese frosting is the kind of thing people will remember months later and ask you to recreate
02 -
  • These bars really do taste better the next day, so if you can make them ahead of time, absolutely do
  • Room temperature ingredients for both the batter and frosting are non negotiable for the right texture
03 -
  • Chop your cranberries on a cutting board rather than trying to snip them with scissors, which can be tedious
  • Use the parchment paper overhang as handles to lift the bars out without damaging the edges
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