Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars have a fan club at our house, and the president is Alysa (house cleaner, pet sitter and my honorary kid). She has been begging for a homemade batch for THREE years. Three! We finally caved, pulled up the Starbucks ingredient list and built this copycat from the label down. Chewy blondies loaded with cranberries, white chocolate and a little orange zest, a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and that signature white chocolate zigzag on top. And they taste identical to the real thing!

Copycat Secrets Uncovered

The Queen of Copycat doesn’t guess. Starbucks lists every ingredient in order by weight, so we worked backward from the label until the numbers lined up. Here’s what made the difference.

• White chocolate goes IN the frosting. White confectionery coating is the second ingredient on the whole label, right behind flour. That’s a LOT of white chocolate! So we melt it right into the cream cheese frosting. It sets up firm and fudgy, holds its shape when you cut, and doesn’t slide off the bar. We use white melting wafers in all three spots: chopped in the batter, melted in the frosting and melted for the drizzle.
• It’s ginger, not cinnamon. Copycats online can’t agree on this one, but the label settles it: ginger. Starbucks uses candied ginger, which is pricey and you only need a tiny bit. Ground ginger gives you the same flavor for a fraction of the cost, and 1/4 teaspoon is all it takes.
• The orange is in the bars, not the frosting. The only orange on the label is sugared orange peel, and it’s in the blondies. We tasted the frosting plain, and there’s zero orange or ginger in it. Candied orange peel is hard to find, so fresh zest rubbed into the brown sugar does the job.

We set ours right next to a bar from Starbucks, and they taste identical! And the price difference is wild. Starbucks charges about $4 a bar, and these work out to about $1 each. A dozen from Starbucks runs you around $48. This whole pan costs about $12!

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars Ingredients

Nothing fancy here, but a few things matter.

• White melting wafers. Starbucks uses white confectionery coating, and melting wafers are the closest match. They melt smooth for the frosting and the drizzle, and a rough chop gets them ready for the batter. You can also use white chocolate chips.
• Brown sugar and fresh orange zest. Brown sugar gives the blondies those molasses notes. The zest from half an orange stands in for Starbucks’ sugared orange peel.
• Butter AND canola oil. The Starbucks label lists both, so we use both. Unsalted butter brings the flavor, and the oil helps keep the bars soft.
• Ground ginger. Just a whisper of warmth in the background. It’s on the Starbucks label, so it stays in.
• Dried cranberries. Chop them so you get cranberry in every bite. Some Craisins go in the batter and the rest go on top of the frosting.
• Cream cheese. Let it get truly soft before you start, or your frosting will have lumps.
• Canola oil (for the drizzle). A little bit in the melted wafers keeps the drizzle smooth and easy to zigzag.

Supplies: An 8×8 pan (this one is SO cheap) and parchment paper.

How to Make Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

Bake the Blondie Base

1. PREHEAT the oven to 350°F and line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper. Give the paper a spray with nonstick spray.
2. MELT the butter in the microwave and let it cool for 3 to 5 minutes. While it cools, rub the orange zest into the brown sugar with your fingers.
3. WHISK the melted butter, canola oil and brown sugar mixture until smooth, then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
4. STIR in the all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ground ginger, just until combined.
5. FOLD in the chopped cranberries and chopped white chocolate wafers.
6. PRESS the batter into the pan with your fingers. It’s thick, so don’t fight it with a spatula.
7. BAKE for 16 to 19 minutes, checking at 16.

How to Tell When They’re Done

Pull them when the edges are golden and a toothpick in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. A clean toothpick means you’ve gone too far, and you’ll lose that soft, chewy middle. They keep cooking a little as they cool.

Don’t Skip the Parchment

Seriously. When the blondies come out of the oven, grab the parchment and lift the whole slab right out onto a cooling wire rack. No digging, no broken corners, and the pan is free. Later, you frost and cut right on the parchment. SO easy!

Whip Up the Frosting

1. MELT 1/2 cup of the white chocolate wafers in 20-second bursts until smooth. Let it cool slightly so it doesn’t thin out the cream cheese.
2. BEAT the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy.
3. STREAM in the melted white chocolate and the vanilla, beating well.

Frost, Drizzle and Chill

1. FROST the completely cooled blondie base. If the frosting is still too loose to spread, chill it for 15 minutes first.
2. SPRINKLE the rest of the chopped cranberries over the frosting and press them down on top of the bars gently so they stick.
3. MELT the last 1/4 cup of white chocolate wafers with the canola oil until completely smooth, about 30 seconds.
4. DRIZZLE the melted chocolate across the top in a zigzag with a fork.
5. CHILL for 30 to 60 minutes so the frosting firms up and the drizzle sets.

Cutting Triangles Like Starbucks

Cut the pan in half, then cut each half into three pieces. Cut each of those six pieces corner to corner, and you’ve got 12 triangles. Wipe the knife (or rinse it under hot water) between cuts for clean edges.

Storage & Freezing

Cream cheese frosting means these live in the fridge. Store them covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 to 5 days.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
• Starbucks Blueberry Scones
• Starbucks Cinnamon Pull Aparts