Description
Cranberry Bliss Bars with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting are a delightful holiday treat that combines the tartness of cranberries with the sweetness of orange cream cheese frosting, making them a must-try dessert for festive gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In another bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix well.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Fold in cranberries, white chocolate chips, and pecans if using.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- For the frosting, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar, orange zest, and orange juice, and mix until creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and cut into squares.
Notes
- Store bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
- These bars can be frozen for up to three months without frosting.
- Feel free to substitute cranberries with dried cherries for a different flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bar
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg