Cranberry Bliss Bars, like the ones you see in Starbucks, only better!
Cut them in the classic triangle Starbucks shape or into squares! It won't matter, they taste the same, only better than bought! Isn't homemade always better?
Last week when I was in Albany we went to the Barnes & Noble at the Colonie Center mall. While there I got my first eggnog latte (pretty darn good!) and eyed the Cranberry Bliss Bars. The baker in me looks at these goodies and thinks to myself - I can't eat that storemade dessert - I can make that and it would probably be better! lol. Is that food snobish?
I got lazy and started cutting them in smaller squares
These were so good, it would be easy to eat more than just one if you have a hot cup of coffee to wash the sweetness down.....they are pretty darn sweet! I have a few things to mention about the recipe.
- Everything seemed fine while mixing the recipe together and it spread in the 9x13 pan just fine. However, when it came out of the oven I thought it was going to stick terribly to the pan. I worked some prying magic however and was able to salvage the cake. I would maybe bake it 5 minutes less than called for and put parchment paper in the cake pan to help alleviate the sticking.
- The recipe mentions using shortening. Shortening is a solid - its not the same thing as oil. It needs to be melted but the recipe does not state that. I also suggest using a disposable pastry bag to pipe the drizzles over the cake. The suggestion to drizzle it in a sweeping motions is NOT going to work. The icing drops off in big clumps when you do that and its not as pretty!
Starbucks Copy Cat Cranberry Bliss Bars
Author:
Serves: 16 bars
Ingredients
- For the Cake:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups light brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup diced dried cranberries
- 6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks
- For the Frosting:
- 4-ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 4 teaspoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup diced dried cranberries
- For the Drizzled Icing:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in baking powder and flour until smooth. Mix ¾ cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13" baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges. Allow cake to cool.
- Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.
- Sprinkle ¼ cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.
- Whisk together ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.
- Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.
Aaron John
These look amazing! I have to add this recipe to my "to-do" list. Do you remember if these came out cakey or chewy? It seems all the recipes I've tried so far has come out too cakey and not exactly like the starbucks version. Hopefully these aren't the same!
Occasional Cooker
These look great. I will have to give these a try.
Pamela
I never go to Starbucks, so I don't know anything about what they sell in there in the way of treats. These, however, look incredible!
Barbara Bakes
I've always wanted to try these bars. Yours look fantastic.
Andrew's Mom
I love these!
mrskimmyl
I am so excited about making these! Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this recipe!!! =D
Jeni
I don't know how I missed this before but it looks sooooo good! I want to try it!
Megan
Now I want a pumpkin lattee and a cranberry bliss bar!!!
Diana
I made these on my blog too! I used to work at Starbucks, and it's actually melted white chocolate drizzled on top, trust me I sampled a ton for 3 years of Christmases 🙂
I figured mine out with lots of experimenting but it's pretty similar to the Top Secret recipe. Yours look delicious.
Kevin
Those look so good!
to2sassy
I also make a version of these Called "Better than Starbucks" Cranberry Bliss Bars"
I did not compare the recipes side by side but the main difference is that I add 2 tsp of orange extract to the batter and 1 tsp to the icing. I also grate orange zest on top and they look so pretty along with tasting amazing. The orange just puts them over the top!
Starbucks stuff always looks so yummy but usually does not taste NEARLY as good as they look!
Maggie
These look fantastic! I know what you mean. I see gorgeous looking baked goods at stores and then I think how many calories are in them and how they never taste as good as they look. I just can't waste the calories on something not delicious and homemade.
Lynnylu
My sister and I had these at the Barne's and Noble Starbucks, too. She was disappointed in the recipe. What would you change? Yours look delicious, better than the Starbucks ones.
dharmagirl
I know just what you mean about looking at baked goods in stores and wondering if they can possibly be as good as they would be made at home:) excellent job!
Brownies for Dinner
Yum! I made this recipe last year. They were sooo good. Thanks for posting this! And for reminding me its time to make another batch 🙂
creative one
These look delicious. I am sure they tasted better than Starbucks!
Flourchild
Your so funny...move over Starbucks is right! I think sometimes Im a food snob too. I will look at different baked goods in shops and think..hmmmm I could do that better...HA! I think your bars look fabulous..Im sure they taste really good...Im going to copy that recipe and try them. Thank you...is your TWD up??
Cathy - wheresmydamnanswer
WOW - move over Starbucks is right - These look better than Starbucks. Thanks for sharing the recipe of one of my favorite holiday indulgences!!