Make delicious Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars at home! This easy to make dessert is perfect for the holidays or any day with a cup of coffee.

Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

‘Tis the season for all sweets and treats! The holiday season never ceases to offer a multitude of opportunities to indulge in delicious desserts and goodies, does it? I for one am not complaining!

With each occasion during the holiday season, the central theme seems to revolve around food, especially sweet treats. Everything from cookie parties to open houses to office parties to family gatherings…the sugar is flowing!

 

 

That’s why the latest round of FREAKY FRIDAY is bringing to you a Virtual Holiday Cookie Exchange! Recipes devoted to holiday celebrations, you’ll find classics, new favorites and everything in between to make your holiday season sensational!

 

 

What’s Freaky Friday? Every couple of months we get together with some of our blogging friends. A date is chosen and each blogger is assigned another blogger from the group. You pick a recipe from their website to remake for your blog and then there’s a big reveal on…Freaky Friday.

I always enjoy this blogging event and appreciate all the effort it takes to organize, arrange and coordinate. My thanks go out to our leader in chief…Michaela from An Affair From the Heart. Do stop over and browse her site, she has something for everyone and then some! For this round I was assigned:

The Foodie Affair

Allow me to tell you a bit about The Foodie Affair! The Foodie Affair is the brainchild of Sandra, who has a flair for creating delicious recipes many of which are very health conscious. I’ve been in blogging circles with Sandra for many years and was excited to be assigned to her site. I was familiar with her Paloma Cocktail and the eye-catching Cranberry Jalapeno Salsa.

 

 

Since this round of Freaky Friday was dedicated to sweets I decided to make the Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars from The Foodie Affair. I figured they would be great all throughout the holiday season.

Truth be told, I’ve never tried the original version found at Starbucks (I’m cheap, I don’t stop into Starbucks very often). Sandra’s version looked delicious and I truly think cranberry recipes are great all year long. And boy oh boy…I was not disappointed!!!

 

 

The only modification I made to Sandra’s version is I omitted the freshly grated ginger. I know my kids, I kept it simple in hopes that they’d love these bars, and they did. If you’d like to add it, I’ll put the measurements in the tips I list.

Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars were a HUGE hit at my house! I plan on using disposable pans and making a few batches to give away during the holidays. The first stop is going to be the teacher’s lounges in my kids’ schools. I think they’ll love them.

Thank you, Sandra, for a wonderful recipe which I know will be a hit for years to come! Happy Holidays to all!!!

 

 

Other delicious recipes from Freaky Friday events:

Lemon Crumb Loaf

Hash Brown Taco Casserole

Almond Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

If you love Starbucks, try these amazing copycat drinks:

• Vanilla Bean Frappuccino
• Cinnamon Dolce Latte
• Iced Vanilla Latte

 

Scroll down for all the recipes from other participants in FREAKY FRIDAY!

Yield: 12 servings

Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

Print

Make delicious Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars at home! This easy to make dessert is perfect for the holidays or any day with a cup of coffee.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

• Bars!
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar, packed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 4 oz.white chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped
• Frosting!
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, spray a 9x13 pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. With electric mixer, beat together butter and brown sugar, add vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
3. Combine together in separate bowl: flour, baking powder, salt and ground ginger.
4. Add into butter mitxure and mix until combined.
5. Fold in cranberries and white chocolate.
6. Spread into prepared pan, bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool on wire rack.
7. For frosting, beat together: cream cheese, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar.
8. Spread over cooled bars.

Take a Look at all of our Freaky Friday Virtual Cookie Exchange Recipes:

• An Affair from the Heart – White Chocolate Cherry Cookies
• Bowl Me Over –  Easy Shortbread Cookies with Confetti
• Hostess at Heart – Peanut Butter Pretzel Puppy Chow
• LeMoine Family Kitchen – White Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
• Life Currents – Chocolate Marshmallow Moonpies
• Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish – Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped Cookie Dough Truffles
• Mildly Meandering –  Cheesecake Bars
• Plattertalk – German Pfeffernusse Cookies
• Seduction in the Kitchen – Chewy Chocolate M&M Cookies
• Take Two Tapas –  Turtle Wonton Kisses
• The Foodie Affair – Easy Cut Out Cookies
• West Via Midwest – Mini Eggnog Cakes with Praline Topping
• Who Needs a Cape? – Copy Cat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

You’ll find this recipe & more at the Weekend Potluck!