Cranberry Bliss Bars with Orange Frosting (Printable)

Buttery bars loaded with dried cranberries and white chocolate, topped with tangy orange cream cheese frosting and elegant 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 fresh orange juice

→ Topping

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

# How-To Steps:

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 3-5 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 with gentle strokes.
07 - Spread batter evenly into prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.
08 - Bake for 25-30 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 bars using an offset spatula or knife.
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 with a sharp knife and arrange on a serving plate.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • They come together in under two hours from scratch, and yes, cooling time counts as a built-in break to actually sit down.
  • The orange cream cheese frosting is tangy enough to keep these from feeling cloyingly sweet, which is rare and wonderful.
  • One batch yields 24 bars, so you can share generously and still have sneaky leftovers hidden in your fridge.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients really do matter here—I learned this the hard way when I grabbed cold eggs straight from the fridge and ended up with a batter that looked separated and sad.
  • The bars genuinely taste better the next day once the flavors have settled and the frosting has set, so resist the urge to cut into warm bars and you'll be rewarded.
03 -
  • If you want extra flavor depth, add a quarter teaspoon of ground ginger to the batter—it's subtle but adds sophistication without tasting spicy.
  • Dried cherries or apricots work beautifully if cranberries aren't calling to you, and the frosting adapts perfectly to whatever fruit you choose.
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