Gluten-Free Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat Recipe)
It’s no secret that I have a bit of a sweet tooth, but THIS RECIPE YA’LL. It’s going down in my list of all-time favorites! I love that it’s made with healthier ingredients, it’s diary-free, gluten-free, but tastes beyond phenomenal. With every bite you get those orange citrus, tart cranberry, spicy ginger flavors along with sweet cream cheese and white chocolate.
Whether you’re making these for holiday parties, cookie gift boxes, or just craving a healthier festive sweet treat, this gluten-free version of Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss Bars is such a yummy dessert!
RELATED: Gluten-Free Christmas Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cranberry Bliss Bars
- Vegan Butter (softened, or coconut oil)
- Almond Butter
- Egg
- Orange Juice/Zest
- Maple Syrup
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Flour
- Oat Flour
- Ground Ginger
- Baking Powder/Salt
- Dairy-Free White Chocolate Chips
- Dried Cranberries
Topping
- Vegan Cream Cheese
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla
- Dried Cranberries (roughly chopped)
- Dairy-Free White Chocolate Chips
- Coconut Oil
- Orange Zest
How to Make Gluten-Free Cranberry Bliss Bars
These healthy Cranberry Bliss Bars are so delicious! Even though they’re gluten-free, they still have that soft and chewy texture that’s just perfection. And they’re actually very easy to put together! Here’s how to make Cranberry Bliss Bars:
1. Mix the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add in the dry ingredients, mix, then fold into the wet ingredients.
3. Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
4. Pour into an 8×8″ or 9×9″ baking pan lined with parchment paper, then bake for 27-30 minutes.
5. While the bars fully cool, mix the cream cheese icing ingredients with an electric mixer and place in the fridge to set.
6. Melt the white chocolate chips and coconut oil together to make the drizzle.
7. Cut the bars into diagonals and top with cream cheese frosting, chopped dried cranberries, melted white chocolate drizzle, and orange zest!
Tips/Variations
- The texture of these bars is soft and cake-like. I recommend letting them fully cool before slicing and adding the frosting so that they don’t crumble!
- Because of that soft texture, I also recommend using parchment paper in the pan to lift out the bars.
- The icing truly brings them together in such a magical way! However, you can skip the cream cheese icing and just add the white chocolate drizzle, if you want.
- You can also use store-bought icing to save time! If you do, be sure to warm it up slightly before icing these bars to make it a bit easier to spread.
- If the white chocolate drizzle is too thick after heating and stirring, add 1/2-1 teaspoon of coconut oil and stir (without further heating) to thin it out.
- Add any toppings you like!
How to Store
Once the bars fully cool, add the toppings and place in an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days!
You can also freeze them for later if you store them without the frosting. Cut into bars, place them in an airtight container, then freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them out in the fridge and add the icing topping. Enjoy!
More Holiday Desserts & Treats Recipes
- Honey Pear Ginger Cheesecake
- Peppermint Frosty Recipe
- Vegan Pecan Pie
- Apple Blackberry Crumble Fruit Bake
- Tahini Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Gluten-Free Cranberry Bliss Bars
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (softened, or coconut oil)
- 1/3 cup almond butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon orange juice (about 1/4 orange)
- 1/2 Tablespoon orange zest (about 1/2 orange)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 2/3 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup dairy-free white chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
Topping
- 6 ounces vegan cream cheese (room temperature)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries (roughly chopped)
- 2 Tablespoons dairy-free white chocolate chips
- 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Whisk the butter (or oil), almond butter, egg, orange juice, orange zest, maple syrup, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the almond flour, oat flour, ginger, baking powder, and salt on top.
- Lightly mix the dry ingredients together with a spatula, then mix into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Fold in the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
- Pour the batter into an 8×8" or 9×9" baking pan lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 27-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, use an electric mixer to mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until smooth.
- Place the cream cheese icing in the refrigerator to set while the bars cool.
- Melt the white chocolate chips and coconut oil together until smooth (add 1/2 teaspoon extra coconut oil after heating to thin out, if desired).
- Lift the bars out of the pan and cut into 4 squares, then cut each square diagonally into 16 bars.
- Add the cream cheese icing to each of the bars, then top with dried cranberries, white chocolate drizzle, and orange zest. Enjoy!
Jeanne says:
Question? Would sugar free chocolate chips work vs white?
Christine McMichael replied:
I haven’t tried melting sugar-free chocolate chips like that, but I would imagine that it would work! If not for the drizzle, they can definitely at least go in the batter. 🙂
jeanne replied:
Thank you