A Starbucks copycat recipe, these Gluten Free Cranberry Bliss Bars taste JUST LIKE the original and are super easy to make!
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So my son and I went to Starbucks, picked up one cranberry bliss bar, and I did a blind taste test on him. He had no idea which was the original and which was my gluten free version. He said he couldn't tell the difference at all. So there you have it!
Here's What You'll Need
- Kim's all purpose gluten free flour blend - a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested.
- Butter - in my opinion, butter is non negotiable in all baked goods, but I understand if you have special dietary needs so look below for substitution suggestions.
- Dried cranberries - we definitely want to use dried versus fresh cranberries in these bars.
- Orange zest - cranberries and oranges are like best buds. They compliment each other so well.
- White chocolate chips - the tartness of the cranberries deserves a good dose of white chocolate chips for that sweet surprise.
- Cream cheese - this is the best foundation for that perfect cranberry bliss bars frosting.
How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars
Gluten Free Cranberry Bliss Bars are so simple to make, and are adored by everyone who's ever tried them. Here's just how to make them:
Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal of the bars. Set aside.
Make batter and stir in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries by hand.
Spread batter into prepared baking dish and bake for 18-22 minutes until set and golden brown at the edges. Cool completely before frosting.
Beat frosting ingredients together until smooth.
Top cooled bars with frosting. Sprinkle with chopped dried cranberries and drizzle with melted white chocolate. Refrigerate to set. Cut into triangles and serve.
Substitutions
- Dairy free cranberry bliss bars- substitute the butter in the bars with dairy-free butter or solid vegetable shortening. Substitute the cream cheese with a dairy-free alternative, and the white chocolate chips with a dairy-free alternative as well.
- Vegan cranberry bliss bars - in addition to the above dairy-free substitutions, you could try a flax or chia egg as an egg replacer (for 2 eggs, it would be 2 tablespoons of ground flax meal or chia and 6 tablespoons of warm water.
Cranberry Bliss Bars FAQs
Yes, because of the cream cheese in the frosting.
Yes, they will last in the freezer, well wrapped, for 2-3 months.
Yes, you can substitute the butter and cream cheese with dairy-free alternatives and the white chocolate chips with allergen-free white chocolate chips.
More Gluten Free Bar Recipes
- Gluten Free S'Mores Bars Recipe
- No Bake Peanut Butter Bars (Naturally Gluten Free)
- Perfect Gluten Free Lemon Bars
- Gluten Free Magic Cookie Bars
- Gluten Free Stollen Bars
- Gluten Free Chocolate Crunch Bars (No Bake)
- Gluten Free Oatmeal Peanut Butter Bars
Gluten Free Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) butter, melted
- 1½ cups (300g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- zest of one large orange
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1¾ cups (245g) Kim's all purpose gluten free flour blend (a store bought blend may be substituted, but hasn't been tested)
- 1 cup (170g) white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup (90g) dried cranberries
Frosting and Topping
- 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (85g) white chocolate chips, melted and divided
- 1½ cups (187g) powdered sugar
- zest of half an orange
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (60g) dried cranberries, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9 by 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper with overhang to lift the bars out when they are cooled.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until well combined. Add in eggs, orange zest, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Slowly beat in GF flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Stir in white chocolate chips and dried cranberries by hand. Scoop into the prepared pan and spread to the corners, smoothing top with an offset spatula.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting.
Make Frosting
- Beat together cream cheese and powdered sugar in medium bowl until smooth. Add all but about one tablespoon of the melted white chocolate (saving this for drizzling on top). Add orange zest and vanilla extract. Spread frosting onto cooled bars and top with chopped dried cranberries. Drizzle with reserved melted white chocolate and refrigerate for at least an hour, which will make it easier to cut them cleanly.
- When ready to cut, remove the entire slab of bars from the pan and first cut them into squares, then diagonally between each square to make triangles.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Belle of the Kitchen.
Caralee says
I brought these to a small potluck where someone else had brought Starbucks' famous Bliss Bars. Everyone who could eat gluten did a comparison taste test. My gluten-free Bliss Bars won unanimously! Friends who don't need to eat gluten-free were asking for this recipe.
Harpreet Nagra says
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?
Kim says
I always use salted butter in everything I bake, unless butter is the star of the recipe, such as croissants or puff pastry.
Jeanne J says
Fantastic! I even cut the brown sugar in half and added half coconut sugar, since I try not to eat white sugar. I also added some chopped pecans just because I loved those and I’m always looking for ways to add protein to my desserts.
Great recipe! I will make these again and again because I was missing my Cranberry Bliss bars!! Thank you so much♥️
Kim says
I'm glad it worked with the reduced sugar!
Rich says
How deep of a 9X13 pan?
Vicki says
these are incredible! I was out of your flour blend and used better batter, and the recipe worked beautifully! I made a half recipe, and will make the full one next. I gave one to a gluten eating friend who LOVES cranberry bliss bars, and she said it was identical. my only issue is that the icing turned out a bit loose, but in retrospect I’m pretty sure I should have added more white chocolate, or used a better brand of cream cheese. still insanely delicious! thank you for this amazing recipe!
Jessi says
Started these last night and finished this morning. Other than using the GF flour blend I had on hand (Bob's Red Mill, I followed the recipe exactly. This is so good! I ended up using two pans, a spring form and a loaf pan, because I don't have a 13x9, which might be why I had to cook these slightly longer. I followed your instruction to keep an eye on the color and that worked great. I cannot wait to share these with my gluten intolerant friend. This is a fabulous recipe. Thanks!
Nina says
Thank you for the recipe! I'm getting the ingredients ready. For the frosting and topping it says 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted and divided. However, I only see the melted chocolate drizzled on top. Where is the other half of it going, or did I miss something?
Kim says
I'm so sorry, Nina. I forgot to put that in the recipe instructions. The rest of it goes in the cream cheese frosting. I will correct that right now.
Thank you for alerting me!
Kim says
Awesome!!!
Laura says
I just made them. Delicious! Thank you for a wonderful recipe. I don't think anyone will know they are gluten free.
Kim says
Awesome!!!!
Crystal Jackson says
Df would have been nice too!!
Jeanne Kerstiens says
What is the nutrition info please?