These healthier gluten free Cranberry Bliss Bars are a copycat recipe of your Starbucks favorite! Cranberry bars make the perfect festive holiday party dessert.
Each bar is filled perfectly baked and filled with cranberries, zesty hints of orange, and sweet white chocolate chips and then covered in creamy, sweet cream cheese frosting, chopped cranberries, and perfected with a drizzling of white chocolate.
Ingredients for Gluten Free Cranberry Bliss Bars
For the bars, you’ll need classic baking ingredients: butter, brown sugar, eggs, salt, and baking powder. Gluten free 1-to-1 all-purpose flour is used in place of regular all-purpose flour for Cranberry Bliss Bars that taste just like the real thing! For holiday flavor, you’ll also need: orange zest, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and vanilla or almond extract.
For the frosting, you’ll need cream cheese, orange zest, powdered sugar, white chocolate chips, dried cranberries, and vanilla or almond extract.
How to Make Starbucks Copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars Gluten Free
These cranberry bars may look fancy, but they are super easy to make! Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper. Beat together wet ingredients and stir in dry ingredients. Fold in chocolate chips and craisins. Add everything to the pan and bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow the bars to cool.
The last step is to make your frosting/add topping. Beat together cream cheese, orange zest, powdered sugar, and extract. Spread over cooled bars, sprinkle with dried cranberries, and drizzle white chocolate over top. Refrigerate to harden, cut and enjoy!
How to Slice
The easiest way to slice these bars is to cut them into 12 squares. Then cut each square into two triangles with one slice from one corner to the opposite corner.
Tips & Notes
- Pan size: these work best in a 9×13 pan (thicker bars like the ones in the photo), however, you can use a 10×15 pan if thinner bars are desired.
- Bar removal: line your pan with parchment paper to help lift bars out easily. A mini serving spatula also helps for removal and serving.
- Frosting: add a splash of milk to thin it or some extra powdered sugar to thicken it, if desired. An icing knife will help spread the frosting.
Cranberry Bliss Bars FAQs
The bars can be stored on the countertop if they are unfrosted, otherwise they need to be stored in the refrigerator. Add to storage containers with parchment paper between layers or covered in a 9×13 pan.
You can freeze these up to two months. Add them to storage containers with parchment paper between each layer of bars.
Yes, just substitute vegan cream cheese and butter in the recipe below.
Yes, just substitute vegan cream cheese and butter in the recipe below and use a flax egg in place of the eggs.
More Gluten Free Holiday Recipes
Make the holidays full of cheer with these gluten free holiday favorites:
- Easy Individual Charcuterie Boxes
- Sparkling White Christmas Sangria
- Gluten Free Chex Mix
- Gluten Free Cut Out Sugar Cookies (Dairy Free, Allergen Free)
Here’s to a cranberry and orange filled Christmas and regaining our sparkle together,
✧❈✯✦Jenn✦✯❈✧
Gluten Free Cranberry Bliss Bars (Healthier, Starbucks Copycat)
Ingredients
Bars
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, melted
- 1½ cups packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or almond
- 2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
FROSTING/TOPPING
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
- 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
- Splash vanilla extract or almond
- 1 cup white chocolate chips melted
- ¾ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- Use an electric mixer on low to beat together: butter, brown sugar, eggs, orange zest, and extract. Stir in flour, salt, and baking powder just until mixed. Fold in chocolate chips and craisins.
- Add to pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Make frosting/add topping. Beat together cream cheese, orange zest, powdered sugar, and extract. Spread over cooled bars. Sprinkle with dried cranberries. Drizzle white chocolate over top. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes to harden. Cut and enjoy!
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