frosted cranberry cookie bars
Just like Tsarbutts for a fraction of the price.
I’ll admit, the cranberry bliss bar is one of the massive corporate chain’s best creations, seasonal or otherwise. They kinda nailed this formula, albeit I’d argue it’s a touch too sweet for my tastebuds. Still, they’re quite pretty, tasty, and overall imaginative from an aesthetic and formulaic standpoint.
I hadn’t considered doing a copycat recipe until a week ago, when I was trying to think of a final recipe for my 2024 cookie box (which is fucking late this year, but still coming!). If I remember rightly, I may have nibbled one of the bliss bars and thought I should do this but better. And ya’ll I think I fucken nailed it.
My rendition of the bar is more cookie-like than blondie-like, which I personally prefer. The frosting is a silky dream, a cream cheese layer infused with a touch of orange liqueur for a bright and unique flavor. Of course, we finish off with a drizzle of the trademark melted white chocolate and some tart cranberries to weld together the image of this delectable, pretty little holiday treat.
Pure Bliss
The base of these bars is my trademark cookie recipe, dusted with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. As far as the cranberries go, you can buy sweetened or unsweetened depending on preference and what’s available. No harm done with either.
We’ll start just how we always do. Cream butter, brown sugar, and regular sugar until floof, then whip in a couple eggs and some vanilla. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Typical cookie ingredients. Fold in a heap of white chocolate chips and some of those cranberries.
Line a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with parchment. Spread the batter from edge to edge, distributing as evenly as possible. The sticky batter can be stubborn to maneuver, so I like to grease a rubber spatula lightly with oil to aid the process. You may need to regrease a couple times, but this additional step helps tremendously.
Bake 22-25 minutes at 350 degrees. The edges of the bars should be set up but the center may be a little gooey still (not fucking liquid, but a touch jiggly). Cool the bars completely on a wire rack, in their pan. This will take about an hour or so. I generally prefer to refrigerate the bars overnight, however, to ensure they’re well set up.
Cran-Merry
The frosting is less like a traditional cake frosting. I don’t really know how to describe it, but it’s much silkier thanks to a lesser amount of powdered sugar. The cream cheese and Cointreau flavors really shine through. It’s ridiculously good.
When the cookies are totally cooled down, get ready to decorate. First, melt some white chocolate chips in the microwave for one minute, stir until the vessel is no longer warm, then heat another 20-30 seconds to melt completely. Let it sit in the nuclear chamber while you prep the glaze.
Whip your cold cream cheese with Cointreau and vanilla, then add in the powdered sugar. Once all that’s combined reasonable, crank up the speed and blitz until very smooth. Perform a quality control check by taking a swipe at the beater. Maybe a second just to be sure.
Spread the frosting thoroughly over the bars. Sprinkle with some more cranberries – like little fruity ornaments – and finish with drizzles of white chocolate. You can either slice immediately and serve, or pop it in the fridge, covered with foil, for 45 minutes or so to let the frosting set up for a crisper cutting job. Either method is fine.
If you need to prep ahead, the baked and undecorated cookie base will hang out perfectly content for about 3 days in the fridge. You can also form the cookie dough into the pan and store up to 2 days before baking. Keep in mind this may add a few minutes to the baking time should be pop it in the oven while it’s still cold.
How’d I do? Better than Corporate America? Let me know! I think I did a swell job here. These dudes will be gone from my fridge in a bolt.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
A very berry Christmas to you:
Cranberry White Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
Swirled Cranberry Champagne Cake
Honey Whipped Feta and Cranberry Crostini
Sparkling Cranberry Cider Tequila Punch
frosted cranberry cookie bars
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter, softened
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, divided
- 3/4 cup dried cranberries, divided
cream cheese frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese, cold
- 1 tbsp Cointreau (orange liqueur)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 inch cake pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and sugar until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Whip in the eggs, one at a time, then the vanilla extract. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Fold in 1 cup of the white chocolate chips and 1/2 cup dried cranberries. Do not overmix, you nerd.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 22-25 minutes until the edges are set and the center is no longer shiny, but still soft. Let cool completely, in the pan, on a wire rack for at least an hour. I like to refrigerate my slab of cookie overnight to ensure it's nicely set up.
- Melt the remaining 1/2 cup of white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Stir, then heat an additional 20-30 seconds as needed to completely melt. Let cool 5 minutes.
- In the meantime, make the glaze. In a large bowl, beat on low speed the cream cheese, Cointreau, and vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and mix until combined, then hike up the speed to medium-high and whip until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting completely over the cookies. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup of cranberries (or more if you'd like!). Drizzle with the melted white chocolate. Slice into triangles, or bars if you'd like a larger quantity (up to 24). Serve immediately, or cover and chill for up to 5 days in the fridge.
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