Orange Zested Cranberry White Chocolate Bliss Bars
User Reviews
4.6
Orange Zested Cranberry White Chocolate Bliss Bars
Description
The Orange Zested Cranberry White Chocolate Bliss Bars blend classic blondie ingredients with fresh orange zest to brighten the batter. Coarsely chopped dried cranberries are folded through for tart bursts, complemented by melted white baking chocolate lending smooth, creamy sweetness. Baking yields a moist, tender bar base with a subtle cinnamon note. After cooling, the bars are topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting infused with powdered sugar, vanilla, and additional orange zest, folded together with more melted white chocolate for a silky finish. The bars are finished with extra cranberries and white chocolate drizzle for texture and visual appeal.
The combination of tart cranberry and citrus zest cuts through the rich sweetness, giving layers of flavor from the crumb to the frosting. The bars are attractive for holiday baking or special occasions where a more nuanced fruity and sweet dessert is desired. The creamy frosting adds a smooth texture contrast to the lightly chewy bar base.
When making, be careful not to overbake to maintain a soft crumb, and use white baking chocolate for better melting in frosting. Allow the bars to cool fully before frosting for clean spreading and to prevent melting. The flavor improves with some chilling to let the frosting set.
Ingredients
Blondies:
- ½ cup butter salted
- 1 ⅓ cups light brown sugar packed
- 2 large egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest freshly grated
- 2 ⅛ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped (this helps distribute them more evenly throughout the batter)
- 4 ounces white baking chocolate coarsely chopped or 1/2 - 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
Frosting and Topping:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened, light
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons orange zest freshly grated
- 4 ounces white baking chocolate melted
- ½ cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9X13-inch pan with cooking spray.
- In a microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar until well-combined. Whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and orange zest.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon until well-combined then fold in the cranberries and white chocolate.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with moist (not gooey) crumbs. Don't overbake. Let the bars cool completely in the pan.
- For the frosting, using an electric mixer (handheld or stand mixer), beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and orange zest (alternately, you can save the orange zest and sprinkle it on the bars before drizzling the chocolate). Scoop in about half of the melted chocolate and mix until creamy and well-combined.
- Spread the frosting onto the cooled bars. Sprinkle with cranberries and drizzle the remaining white chocolate over the top. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set - these taste best chilled. Cut into triangles or squares to serve.
Notes
- Use white baking chocolate for melting in the frosting, as it melts more smoothly than white chocolate chips.
- Let the bars cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese topping.
- Using 1/3 less fat cream cheese results in a slightly softer frosting without sacrificing the flavor.
- Chop cranberries coarsely to distribute them evenly in the batter and garnish.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 24Bars (9X13-inch pan)
Amount Per Serving
Calories kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 Bar | |
| Calories | 227kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 9g | 14% |
| Saturated Fat | 5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 33mg | 11% |
| Sodium | 147mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 25g | 50% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.6
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