This recipe for Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars is going to be a new favorite addition to your holiday baking. It tastes just like the original, but without any funky ingredients, and it’s gluten-free!
Now, it’s that time of year when we experience those tried-and-true traditions that get us in the holiday spirit. Putting up the Christmas tree, listening to Christmas music, and, of course, getting your hands on the Starbucks holiday cup + Cranberry Bliss Bar as soon as they are debuted for the season.
If you’re unfamiliar with Cranberry Bliss Bars, then let introduce you: They’re one of Starbucks’ famous treats, and they come out every year around the holidays. So, the base is a blondie cake/cookie with dried cranberries, and it’s topped with a decadent layer of cream cheese frosting and white chocolate.
While delicious, the Starbucks recipe has quite a long list of (and somewhat questionable) ingredients. So I wanted to make a version that was just as delicious, but with a shorter ingredient list with healthier items you can actually pronounce.
PrintGluten-free Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
Gluten-free Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars made with healthier ingredients.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 20
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
Blondies:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Topping:
- 4oz cream cheese, softened to room temp
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temp
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper + spray with nonstick spray
- In a large bowl whisk together butter and sugar, then whisk the egg and vanilla
- Add flour and salt and combine well, then fold in the dried cranberries
- Transfer batter to baking dish and spread evenly
- Bake for 17-19 minutes and let cool completely
- To make the frosting, using a stand mixer or hand mixer beat together the cream cheese and butter until well combined, then beat in the powdered sugar 1/4 cup at a time
- Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, or in a stovetop pot stirring frequently
- Once the bars are cooled spread on a layer of the cream cheese frosting, a layer of dried cranberries, then lastly a drizzle of the white chocolate
- Let cool again for at least 10 minutes before cutting into 8 triangle pieces
Keywords: Starbucks, cranberries, Cranberry Bliss Bars, gluten-free, baking, dessert, holidays, frosting, cream cheese
What flour should I use?
My favorite gluten-free flour is Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-free 1:1 Baking Flour. It lends to a great texture and is very much like regular all-purpose flour. You could also use oat flour or almond flour if you want to keep this gluten-free, or regular all-purpose flour would work too. But I would not recommend using coconut flour as it has a very different absorption.
Can I make this recipe vegan/dairy-free?
Yes! To make this recipe vegan you can use a “flax egg.” You could also use dairy-free butter and cream cheese alternatives (Miyokos and Kite Hill are great brands) and skip the white chocolate or use dairy-free chocolate.
Can I double this recipe?
Yes! You can double everything and bake it in a 9×13 baking dish.
How should I store the bars?
I recommend storing in an airtight container and/or refrigerated. You can leave them room temperature, but they may get soggy. I found that refrigerating them helped maintain the texture longer and kept them from getting soggy.
As always, if you make these Cranberry Bliss Bars or any of my other recipes Iād love to see how they turned out. Be sure to tag me on Instagram @Hungry.Blonde! xoxo GG
You might also like:
Classic Blondies AKA Cookie Bars
Original Cake Batter Blondies
Grain-Free Frosted Sugar Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
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