An easy homemade copycat recipe for the classic seasonal Starbucks treat! Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars that are allergy-free, perfectly baked blondie cake squares, loaded with dried cranberries, vanilla, citrus, and dairy-free white chocolate drizzle!
Caveat, no, I've never had a Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar and initially, I had zero intention of these cranberry bliss "squares" to even be a Starbucks copycat recipe. Alas, when all was said and done, that's what came out of the Strength and Sunshine oven. Cranberry and white chocolate is such an iconic holiday combo; the perfect tart and sweet balance and just begging to be included on the holiday dessert table in some form or another!
What's in a cranberry bliss bar?
A delicious sweet and tart combination of dried cranberries (craisins), vanilla, a touch of orange citrus, a buttery "blondie" cake, and white chocolate drizzle. The Starbucks version is descried as, "a blondie cake base topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white orange drizzle". My gluten-free, vegan, allergy-free bars nix the cream cheese icing and just use melted dairy-free/soy-free white chocolate as icing instead. Otherwise, the flavors are the same and the ingredients are just much more...friendly and free-from!
Cranberry bliss BARS or SQUARES?
As I said, I had no intention (initially) of making a copycat recipe. So instead of having this recipe require you to bake a whole pan of blondies and then cut them into intricate triangle-shaped bars like the Starbucks version, I actually have a much easier, simpler, no fuss, no-cut method! I actually used (for the first time) this square, "brownie bar" pan that I snagged at a garage sale a few months ago for $2! It was brand new, pristine, and just begging for me to take home! You know how much I love collecting ALL the kitchen appliances and gadgets; so when I find a pan that would normally be $$$ but was only $2, well, can you blame me?
Are cranberry bliss bars/squares a dessert or snack?
I assume Starbucks wants you to think they're a nice sweet snack to have with your sugar-laden coffee dessert in a cup. Really, you'd just be consuming 2 desserts in one fell swoop. In one cranberry bliss bar at Starbucks you get a whopping 26g of sugar, 37g of carbs, 15g Fat (9g saturated), for a total of 300 calories. With my perfectly portioned, no-so-sinful cranberry bliss bars, you really can have them as a snack with your afternoon coffee or tea OR as a nice sweet dessert at the end of a holiday gathering. You know that we're using Swerve as our sweetener so that slashes the sugar and carb count drastically!
What type of dairy-free/soy-free vegan white chocolate is best to use?
Ah, the elusive SOY-FREE vegan white chocolate that is so hard to find. Or shall I say, "was", hard to find! I used my favorite "Milkless Polar Dream White Chocolate Bars" from No Whey! Foods, but you can also use Pascha's white chocolate baking chips or their white chocolate bar. Whichever you can easily get your hands on! I prefer the taste of the Polar Dream bars, but the Pascha baking chips are easier to "measure out". However, can you really have too much drizzle?
More Cranberry Recipes:
- Cranberry Sauce Quick Bread
- Vegan White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
- Cranberry Pecan Spiced Skillet Granola
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
- Roasted Apple & Cranberry Sauce
- Jellied Cranberry Sauce
Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars (Squares!)
Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars {Squares!} (Allergy-Free)
An easy homemade copycat recipe for the classic seasonal Starbucks treat! Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars that are allergy-free, perfectly baked blondie cake squares, loaded with dried cranberries, vanilla, citrus, and dairy-free white chocolate drizzle!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 mins
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Gluten-Free Baking Flour
- ¾ Cup Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)
- 1 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1 Stick MELT Vegan Butter (softened)
- 1 ½ Cups Dried Cranberries
- ¾ Cup Unsweetened Non-Dairy Milk
- 1 Tsp Pure Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Tsp Pure Orange Extract
- 1 Cup Vegan/Allergy-Free White Chocolate (to melt)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and sweetener first. Mix together.
- Now add the softened butter, cranberries, milk, and extracts. Mix the batter together until combined.
- In an greased individual "brownie square" baking pan, use the batter to fill 9 of the cavities*.
- Bake the bars in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Remove and let cool completely on a wire rack.
- Do make the white chocolate drizzle, melt the, broken in pieces, white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, in increments of 15-20 seconds until you can easily mix the melted chocolate.
- Add the melted chocolate to a pastry bag or decorating gun with a fine tip and drizzle the bars in a zigzag motion with the melted chocolate.
Notes
*If you don't have a brownie square baking pan, you can use a 9x9 square baking pan instead. You will have to cute 9 squares yourself, as you would with baking typical brownies or blondies.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
I wouldn't call these healthy, but I would call the "healthier" than your favorite seasonal Starbucks treat! Gluten-Free Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars (or squares) for everyone! Top allergy-free and with a much, much shorter ingredient list! Plus they're a fun dessert to bake up during the holidays when you need a change from all the CHOCOLATE baking that typically occurs...right? Because we all know that white chocolate isn't really chocolate, eh?
So tell me:
+ What's (or was) your favorite seasonal Starbucks treat? Not seasonal, but their banana chocolate chip bread was my mom's and I's favorite indulgence!
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Natasha Mairs
These look really gorgeous!!! And glad that they are gluten free
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Enjoy these bars!
Maria | passion fruit, paws and peonies
Bliss is a great word for these divine treats! Would love to bake these. Thanks for the recipe xx
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I guess we have Starbucks to thank!
Liz
They look delicious. I'll be trying them.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Glad to hear it, Liz!
adriana
These look soo good! Definitely need to try them out!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know you won't, but thanks!
Helen
Yum! These look delicious. What a tasty treat.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thanks, Helen.
Laura
Oh these look so delicious! And way healthier than Starbucks!!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A bit cleaned up for sure!
Victoria Shari | Arrow and Bliss
This looks delicious. Would have been perfect for today's thanksgiving, but will definitely consider it in time for Christmas.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Cranberry bliss bars are a winter favorite!
Holly
These look so tasty! I love that your cooking is allergy free and also a lighter version of the Starbucks favorite, too. My younger brother-in-law has a severe nut allergy, so we're always looking for safe foods to bake for the holidays!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
These are just the thing!
joy abou zeid
Amazing recipe, that looks so good!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Caitlin
These are so cute! I'd probably risk eating all of them at once though, they're so adorable and delicious-looking!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I really doubt that. They're not mini and you would make yourself sick.
Jori
These look so yummy and the perfect size for snacking! Can't believe they are vegan and gluten-free. Amazing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I think they're the perfect size too!
Reese Woods
I'm looking at the texture and consistency of these things and thinking "how are these gluten-free AND dairy free?" These look AMAZING! And so well timed since discovered a couple years ago I have sensitivities to both dairy and gluten (which can make baking rather sad sometimes).
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Not when you have Strength and Sunshine to show you how simple!
Erin Haugerud
Oh my god these look so good!! Yum!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Thank you!
Hayley
These look so good, definitely saving so I can try!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I am glad to hear!
Annabel Okeya
These bars look yummy! I like that you reduced the sugar and carb content in your recipe!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
But still sweet and delicious!
Candice
These look amazing! My daughter is currently over my shoulder asking if she can try one HA! Pinned!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Haha, I think you need to make them stat!
Jess
These look delicious. My sister has a gluten allergy, so these will be perfect to make for her.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I know she'd enjoy them!
Annaliese
I was drooling seeing your picture of these on your blog FB page! YUM!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
You gotta make some then!
Elisa
Are you SURE these are vegan???
These look great to whip out at a party! Adding this to my recipe bag of tricks NOW!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Perfect for your holiday parties!
Glenny
YUM! These looks so good! I'll have to try to make these one day
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A perfect holiday dessert!
Jay | Life of Creed
OMG, these look delicious! These would be great in the have when drinking my tea. I'll have to make these very soon.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Yes! So perfect for coffee or tea!
Lacey N.
These look so yummy! I can’t wait to give them a try! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Well, enjoy!
cait
i have 4 people i know would adore this recipe bc they are such big cranberry fans- ill def be making a few of this for thanksgiving tomorrow and xmas!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
I always forget how much I love cranberries!
Deborah
I Pinned it too for trying Rebecca 🙂
Deborah
Ooh - your presentation is excellent - couldn't wait to see the recipe as I was scrolling through!
Recipe hasn't many ingredients and easy ones to locate.. A keeper!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Simple, allergy-free, and a tad bit healthier!