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Triangles of cranberry bliss bars with orange cream cheese frosting, chopped cranberries and white chocolate drizzle on a holiday platter

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Chewy ginger-kissed blondies with dried cranberries and white chocolate, topped with orange cream cheese frosting, chopped cranberries and a white chocolate drizzle.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Cooling and chilling 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 47 minutes
Servings: 24 triangles
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Blondie base
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled (170 g)
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar (300 g)
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled (280 g)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 3/4 cup dried cranberries (90 g)
  • 4 ounces white chocolate chopped (113 g)
Frosting
  • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened (225 g)
  • 2 cups powdered sugar (240 g)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest from 1 medium orange
  • 3 ounces white chocolate melted and cooled (85 g)
Topping
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries finely chopped (40 g)
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 2 ounces white chocolate melted, for drizzling (57 g)

Method
 

Base
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment, leaving an overhang.
  2. Whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until glossy. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.
  3. Stir in the flour, baking powder, ginger and salt just until combined. Fold in the cranberries and chopped white chocolate.
  4. Spread in the pan and bake for 20 to 24 minutes, until golden at the edges and just set in the center. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Frosting and topping
  1. Beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar, vanilla and orange zest, then the cooled melted white chocolate.
  2. Spread the frosting over the cooled base. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries and orange zest and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
  3. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm. Lift out, cut into 12 rectangles, then cut each diagonally into 2 triangles.

Notes

Make ahead: Bake the base up to 2 days ahead. Frosted bars keep refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for 2 months.
Storage: Keep refrigerated because of the cream cheese frosting.
Nutrition is an estimate per triangle.