Looking for a festive and flavorful treat that captures the essence of the holiday season? These Cranberry Bliss Bars are the perfect answer! With a chewy blondie base, a tangy cranberry sauce swirl, and a creamy white chocolate topping, these bars are a delightful combination of textures and flavors. They’re perfect for holiday gatherings, potlucks, or a sweet treat to enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea. This cranberry bliss bar recipe is sure to be a hit!

I’ve always been drawn to the vibrant colors and tart-sweet flavor of cranberries, especially during the holidays. These bars are a fun and festive way to enjoy them, and they’re always a crowd-pleaser. This cranberry bliss bar recipe is surprisingly easy to make.

How to Make It

We start by making the blondie base. This involves creaming together butter and sugar, then adding eggs, vanilla extract, flour, and baking powder. The batter is then spread into a baking pan and baked until lightly golden.

While the blondie is baking, we prepare the cranberry sauce. You can use homemade cranberry sauce or a good quality store-bought version. If using homemade, you’ll want to make it ahead of time and let it cool slightly.

Once the blondie is baked, we swirl the cranberry sauce into the warm blondie base. This creates beautiful swirls of color and flavor throughout the bars.

Finally, we melt white chocolate and spread it evenly over the top of the bars. The melted white chocolate adds a creamy sweetness that balances the tartness of the cranberries.

Make Ahead Method

These cranberry bliss bars are perfect for making ahead. You can bake the blondie base a day or two in advance and store it tightly wrapped at room temperature. The cranberry sauce can also be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator. The assembled bars are best stored in the refrigerator and can be made a day or two before serving.

Pro Tips

Don’t overbake the blondie base: This will make the bars dry.
Use good quality white chocolate: This will ensure a smooth and creamy topping.
Swirl the cranberry sauce gently: This will create beautiful swirls without making the blondie soggy.
Chill the bars completely before cutting: This will make them easier to cut into clean squares.
Add orange zest to the blondie batter: This adds a nice citrusy flavor that complements the cranberries.

Storage

Storing Leftover Bars:

Store leftover cranberry bliss bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Tools For This Recipe

Mixing bowls
Electric mixer or whisk
Spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
9×13 inch baking pan
Parchment paper (optional)
Small saucepan (for homemade cranberry sauce)

FAQs!

Can I use dried cranberries? You could add dried cranberries to the blondie batter, but the cranberry sauce swirl is essential for the flavor and texture of these bars.
Can I use a different type of chocolate? While white chocolate is traditional for these bars, you could experiment with milk or dark chocolate.
Can I make these gluten-free? You can try substituting a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in the blondie base, but the texture may be slightly different.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

Chewy blondie bars with a tangy cranberry swirl and creamy white chocolate topping.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Total Time 1

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 24 bars

Ingredients

For the Blondie Base:

1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Cranberry Swirl:

1 1/2 cups cranberry sauce homemade or store-bought

For the White Chocolate Topping:

12 ounces white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pan:

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9×13 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal.

Make the Blondie Base:

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well combined. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet 1 ingredients, mixing until just combined. 1. yeyfood.com yeyfood.com

Bake the Blondie:

Spread the blondie batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.

Swirl in Cranberry Sauce:

While the blondie is still warm, drop spoonfuls of cranberry sauce over the top. Use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl the sauce into the blondie.

Melt White Chocolate:

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth.

Add White Chocolate Topping:

Pour the melted white chocolate over the cranberry swirl and spread it evenly.

Chill and Cut:

Let the bars cool completely at room temperature, then chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before cutting into squares. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the bars out of the pan before cutting.