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Cranberry Bliss Bars

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These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with less than half the calories and fat than the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself!

These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with more than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself! A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle – perfect for the holidays!
Cranberry Bliss Bars

A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle  – perfect for the holidays!

I got a request this year to lighten Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss Bars – this make-over turned out excellent! I was able to cut the fat and calories by more than HALF, yet they still taste indulgent. The original bar is 340 calories with 19 grams of fat; this lighter version is just 149 calories with 5 grams of fat.

These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with more than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself! A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle – perfect for the holidays!

Last year I attempted to make these light but didn’t have much success. I had used whole wheat flour and I believe that was my demise – it gave the bars an unpleasant texture and scent that I really didn’t enjoy.

This time I used Gold Medal all purpose flour and the results were excellent. This is dessert after all, and although I try to use whole grains in all my meals, it doesn’t always work when baking. If you need a dessert for a holiday party, these are great. Leave them refrigerated until ready to serve.

These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with more than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself! A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle – perfect for the holidays!

How To Make Cranberry Bliss Bars

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Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars

4.56 from 86 votes
8
Cals:143
Protein:2
Carbs:23.5
Fat:5.5
These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with less than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself!
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with more than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself! A blondie cookie bar with chunks of white chocolate chips and dried cranberries, topped with sweet cream cheese icing, tart dried cranberries and white chocolate drizzle – perfect for the holidays!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 35 minutes
Yield: 30 servings
Serving Size: 1 bar

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all purpose flour, Gold Medal
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, unpacked
  • 1/4 cup melted unsalted butter
  • 2 large egg whites
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup white chocolate chips or chopped white chocolate
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped

For the Frosting:

  • 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 ounces white baking chocolate, melted*
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.  Lightly spray a 9 x 13 inch non-stick baking pan with cooking spray.
  • In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and stir to blend.
  • In another bowl, whisk the sugars with the butter, egg whites, applesauce and vanilla until light and fluffy.
  • Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two additions until the batter is very well blended. If the batter looks more “crumbly” than smooth, add just a drop of water at a time (ONLY if needed) until it smooths out.
  • Fold in white chocolate chips and 1/3 cup cranberries. Spread batter onto the baking pan using the back of a measuring cup to smooth evenly.
  • Bake 10 - 14 minutes, until the edges are light brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Don't over-bake or your bars will be dry. Let it cool completely on wire rack.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the frosting; in a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla until well-blended. Frost bars and sprinkle with remaining cranberries. Drizzle with the melted white chocolate.
  • *To melt the chocolate, place in a microwave safe cup and heat 15 seconds; stir. Another 15 seconds; stir until the chocolate is melted.
  • When the chocolate sets, cut into 15 large squares (5 cuts by 3 cuts with the knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Last Step:

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Video

Notes

For those on WW, I have seen the points slowly going up on these each year as each plan changed. Sugar is very high on WW, so if you want to make the points lower swap the sugars for Lakanto monk fruit sweetener. They sell white, brown and powdered. They points would be 5 each with those changes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 bar, Calories: 143 kcal, Carbohydrates: 23.5 g, Protein: 2 g, Fat: 5.5 g, Saturated Fat: 3.5 g, Cholesterol: 6.5 mg, Sodium: 73.5 mg, Fiber: 0.5 g, Sugar: 16 g

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401 comments on “Cranberry Bliss Bars”

  1. Wow! After seeing so many posts about these around the holidays I wanted to try them. They did not disappoint. Just delicious! Gina hits it out of the park again!

  2. I made these today to bring to Games Night tomorrow. I followed the recipe as written, except I used 1 whole egg instead of 2 egg whites. And I had to bake for 22 minutes since I was using a glass baking dish. Very tasty! Although I would classify this recipe a fair amount of work, or is definitely worth the time!

  3. I made these for Christmas Eve dessert and they were sheer perfection! My partner loved them! I think he almost proposed! lol! My daughter took the leftovers to her in-laws for Christmas morning brunch and sent me a video of her mother-in-law going on and on about them. HUGE HIT!! Thank you!!

  4. These are great! I followed the recipe with just 2 small tweaks – I used whipped cream cheese (personal preference) and added a touch of lemon zest while mixing the frosting. Turned out really great! (I attempted to review this earlier, but forgot to put in the stars! And this recipe is a winner)

  5. My family loves these bars! I make them every Christmas and they look forward to them. I have to bake mine for 20 minutes to get the center done. The corners are crispy but there are those who like them! You probably know you have a typo in the ‘cuts’. If you do 5 cuts by 3 cuts you have 6×4, which is 24 rectangles. You must have meant 4 cuts by 2 cuts which makes 15 rectangles. Sorry, it’s the mathematician in me! Thanks again for this great recipe!

  6. Of all the holiday cookies I’ve made, these were the favorite. I added orange zest to the frosting like others said and it took like 25 min to bake even though my oven is usually spot on with Gina’s recipe times.

  7. Wow, these are delicious! I have not had the Starbucks version but these are so good, I can’t imagine I’m missing much. I didn’t use the white chocolate drizzle. It probably needs it to make it more like a copycat but flavor wise, I don’t think they need it. And it saves a bit on calories! This is definitely going in the dessert rotation!

  8. Everyone loves these! Could someone PLEASE answer: How long will these keep in the fridge? I have a lot of cooking and baking to do before Christmas and I’d love to get these out-of-the-way. Thanks in advance!

  9. I make this every Christmas to rave reviews. I personally think they are better tasting that Starbucks version

  10. Pretty good! Giving it a 5 stars after adding orange zest to the top. I feel like it really needs the orange flavor to make it taste like the Starbucks version. My bars baked for 15 mins in a 13×9 metal baking pan with parchment paper.

  11. We make these each holiday season! I have a batch in the oven for my Christmas party tomorrow. And, yes, I’ve seen WW points for this going up. BUT, I tell myself I make them once a year, so might as well enjoy a couple of pieces – but we leave it to that! 🙂 Thanks so much!

  12. Do you try any of your recipes with gluten-free flour? I use King Arthur’s gluten-free flour and I wonder how this would be using that.

      1. How do you easily chop the dried cranberries. I trie a food processor, but didn’t work. Very time consuming, thought maybe there was a easier way.

    1. Avatar photo
      Delicious - Made Gluten Free

      I used gf flour and turned out great! I baked the cookie base for 17 min. Will try the orange zest next time like other recommended. Very good overall!

  13. Avatar photo
    Jacque Schrader

    These are absolutely killer delicious. But, 2 years in a row mine are a bit sticky. I wasn’t able to cut perfect triangles. Any thoughts on what I did wrong? (Followed recipe exactly)

  14. I made these last Christmas (followed recipe exactly as written but did add 1/2 tsp finely grated orange zest to the base layer) and can’t wait to make them again. Absolutely delicious!

  15. Made these just as the recipe states. Turned out absolutely delicious! I love all Skinnytaste recipes.

    1. These freeze beautifully. Make them completely including frosting them. Cut into the triangles and flash freeze on a sheet pan about 45 min. Then just put them into a large ziplock bag. Take out as needed. Delicious!

      1. Thank you for the freezing information, Dana! Very helpful for my holiday planning.

  16. I used sugar free white chocolate chips as that’s what I had. I think the applesauce gives a weird “spring” to the cookie part. I had difficulty making the white chocolate drizzle properly. I had to add a little coconut oil to get it looser. So that of course added to the calories.

    I am not against using a whole egg instead of two egg whites. I don’t think eggs are the devil. And, it’s wasteful just to use the whites. So next time I will use a whole egg. We liked them for “lower calorie” treats. But, of course the real deal has better texture and taste. I will keep this in my diet, “gawd, I need a treat” file! A solid 4 stars. (Would have gotten five if the texture wasn’t weird.)

  17. I kind of used this recipe but at the same time, I didn’t. First off, I quartered the recipe and put it in grams to be the most precise as possible.
    Second, I substituted A LOT of the ingredients but with the same idea of this recipe. (It worked relatively well) And third, because I made it so small, I used a 6 tin cupcake tray.

    For the bar:
    62g All Purpose Flour (226 Cal.)
    ⅛tsp Baking Soda (0 Cal.)
    pinch of salt & cinnamon (~1 Cal)
    34g Granulated Swerve (0 Cal.)
    33g Brown Sugar Swerve (0 Cal)
    14g Light Countrycrock butter spread (35 Cal.)
    23g Egg Substitute/Egg Whites (12.5 Cal.)
    15g Unsweetened Apple Sauce (12.5 Cal.)
    ½tsp Vanilla Extract, ¼tsp Orange Extract (9 Cal.)
    36g Lily’s White chocolate chips (128 Cal.)
    10g Reduced Sugar Craisins (25 Cal.)

    For the Toppings
    2oz Fat Free Cream Cheese (60 Cal.)
    2tbs Powdered Sweetener
    Orange & Vanilla extract
    7g Lily’s White chocolate chips (25 Cal.)

    +10g Reduced Sugar Craisins (25 Cal.)

    Calories per serving: 89 Calories

  18. Avatar photo
    Andrea Hanley

    The recipe says to use a 9″ x 13″ pan, but the video looks like Gina is using a 10″ x 15″ jelly roll pan. That would explain the difference everyone seems to have in the amount of time to bake, and hers look thinner than the ones I made last year. Gina, what size pan do you use when making these? Thanks! They are delicious!

    1. I have made these for years in a 9X13 baking pan and always had trouble getting them out and it was too done on the corners and soft in the middle. Last Christmas I decided to use a sheet pan and parchment paper and it was so easy to get them out and they were more consistently done. That said, my family loves them and asks for them every year. They would eat them no matter what they looked like! Thanks, Gina!

  19. I made these exactly as the recipe states and they turned out absolutely perfect! What an amazing Christmas treat these will be.
    Thanks for the beautiful recipe Gina!

  20. Can you make them with sugar free white chocolate and substitute sugar with sugar free options like Splenda or Monkfruit sweetner? Has anyone tried?

    1. I’ve made this twice in one week and I used Lily’s SF white chocolate chips in the batter the first time and they were fine. I did use regular white chocolate wafers for the topping b/c it melted better.

  21. Avatar photo
    Shelley Barichello

    I make these bars every year for Christmas. They are a Huge success and I am not allowed to show up without them Lol,

  22. These are the best. I get rave reviews every year.

    I have a few tweaks, but these are also perfect as-is:
    -I am gluten-free, so I use 1:1 flour
    -I make these into cookies instead of bars. Bake for 13 minutes. I get 30-33 cookies. 
    -this time, I added 1/8 teaspoon ginger and about 1 tsp orange zest to the batter and 1 tsp orange zest to the icing based off other reviews. So good, but also extremely good without these additions. 
    -this time, I used 1 egg instead of 2 egg whites, only because food is so expensive right now and I didn’t want to waste an egg. 

    If you make these as written or tweak a bit, they are the best cookies/bars you will ever eat!

    1. I haven’t used flour/sugar substitutes but I do use half of each sugar called for, only 2 TBSP of melted butter, and I leave out the applesauce. I just realized, after making these for years, that I’ve been using twice the amount of cranberries haha. I also use 2 whole eggs instead of just the whites. Just make half the recipe and see how it comes out. 

  23. Very yummy. I couldn’t get the chocolate drizzle to work. It would want to drop in clumps so I heated up more and it would overcook. Tried it twice. Oh well, still good without it.

  24. Avatar photo
    PATRICIA M. BELL

    I made a version last night almost identical to yours but it had considerably more calories because more butter and sugar were used in the recipe. I swapped those out for sugar-free sweeteners and nonfat yogurt and I also substituted low sugar cranberries and sugar-free white chocolate chips. My version is very close to yours as follows and has 16 bars at 135 calories each! The carquik definitely did not affect the flavor as I feared, in fact my diet has been almost exclusively cranberry bliss bars today they are so good!

    2 cups carbquik 540 c
    1/2 tsp baking soda
    1/4 tsp salt
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2/3 cup granulated Splenda 64 c
    2/3 cup brown sugar (unpacked) 64 c
    2 tsp molasses 40 c
    1/4 cup yogurt 34 c
    2 large eggs 140
    1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce 35 c
    2 tsp vanilla extract
    2/3 cup sugar free white chocolate chips 280 c
    1/3 cup reduced sugar dried cranberries (chopped) 123 c
    8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese 576 c (softened)
    1/2 cup powdered Splenda 64 c
    2 ounces Sugar free white baking chocolate (melted*) 200 c
    1/2 tsp vanilla extract

    2160/ 135 calories!

  25. This does not taste anything like a Starbucks cranberry bliss bar. Sorry, but it’s not even close. The cinnamon is just one of the things wrong with this recipe. I wanted to love it, but it doesn’t taste like Christmas. 

    1. The recipe calls for 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon which is barely a pinch.  I doubt if this tiny amount threw off the whole recipe.  Maybe you used a teaspoon by mistake?  Most teaspoon sets don’t even include an 1/8 tsp measure.

    2. (Sorry for the voice dictation errors I did not proofread before sending.)
      I agree Kristin. The frosting needs that orange sugar peel that they used at Starbucks that give it that orange cranberry holiday taste. Also Starbucks does not use cinnamon; they use sugared ginger which compliments the orange and cranberry flavors. The dryness of the dough is because it’s lacking the egg yolk or fat from egg yolk, butter or oil.

  26. Holy smokes! These things are good! I used a glass pan and had to cook them longer like the reviews said (22 minutes). The consistency was still great. I also added orange zest like some reviewers mentioned. I will make these again and again. So darn good!!

  27. Delicious! Like many others stated, I need 25 minutes to get these baked through. I used a ceramic baker that usually bakes in less time. I also think I could have used a larger pan and spread them thinner. Personal taste though. I also added orange zest to the frosting and next time will cut the sugars a bit. These are sweet! 

  28. I made these using a gluten free flour blend and also subbed Swerve sweetener and Swerve brown sugar style sweetener. I used Tofutti cream cheese for the frosting. I also added 1/2 tsp ginger to the bars and 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice to the frosting. I was paranoid about the baking time after reading the comments, so I actually baked them a bit too long. 21 minutes made them a bit dry, 18 minutes would have been perfect. Nevertheless, I have been storing them in the fridge and they taste like slightly crumbly cookie bars and very delicious. I might halve the recipe next time as the 9X13 pan is a bit much for just the two of us.

  29. Avatar photo
    Kristin Tisinger

    They have now been barking for 20 minutes. Must be b/c I’m using glass instead of metal? Please add info like that in recipes… Also, why did my puff up? Yours looks flat.

  30. Love this recipe! I have made it numerous times and I usually need a solid 20 minutes to bake the base  in the oven to have a clean toothpick.  I find it is a lot of work but, I love making this recipe and sharing it with friends. It is always a huge hit.

  31. Avatar photo
    Ashley Phipps

    These are great! As some people have remarked in the comments, the one thing this recipe is missing is the orange zest. I added one teaspoon to the batter before baking and then another teaspoon to the icing. That tweak makes it perfect. 

  32. I don’t know what I did wrong? 🙁 i had to cook for over 30 minutes and I couldn’t get it to cook all the way through. I tried to put it back in and cook more but then the edges got ready dark. I kept the outside border but had to throw out the rest of it as it was undercooked. 
    I wanted to love it, just don’t know what happened. In the video it looks fully cooked through so I’m confused as i just couldn’t get it there. 

    1. Same!!  Needed to make for about 25 minutes!  But otherwise they are always delicious….just a lot of work!

    1. You can substitute some, but not all for texture reasons. I’ve subbed 1/4 c, but think you could sub a bit more. If you’re asking for gluten sensitivity reasons, just sub a gluten free flour mix.

  33. I have tried making these 3 times and each time they are not not near ready after 14 minutes in the oven. Also what type of pan do you suggest. I was using a glass pan. Will a metal pan make the difference?  These are delicious. I just need to get the preparation of them perfected

    1. She says to use a metal pan.  Almost all baked good recipes call for metal pans. Save ceramic pans for casseroles.

  34. Avatar photo
    Sherrille Gooch

    I think they are going to be a huge hit at tonight’s gathering! Not only are they pretty, they are so yummy! I made according to the recipe but will make variations in the future. Like others, my baking time was 20 minutes.

  35. This were amazing! I followed the directions exactly but after 15 minutes of baking the center was not baked through. So I left it in for an extra 10. 

  36. Love these so much! Been making them around the holidays for a couple years in a row now. The only thing is that the baking time is way off every time (and every time I make them I forget). I end up doubling the backing time to about 28-30 minutes. Thanks!

  37. Cooked 32 minutes as it was just batter at 14 minutes. Ate four slices as it’s tooooo good. Luckily, I halved the recipe and I’ve got three other people to share the rest with as this is dangerously delicious.

  38. Avatar photo
    Christi Higgins

    My friend made these and hers were perfect. Never would guess they were a lower calorie than Starbucks  

  39. Made these to bring to colleagues, they were easy to make and they’re tasty! This is my favourite treat from Starbucks, thank you for providing this alternative!

  40. Omg thank you so much! Last year I found a recipe for these and the bottom was too much like cake. Your recipe is awesome and tastes just like the real thing ♥️  Shared on FB

  41. These were a hit! I halved the recipe (using a 9×9 pan) and added almond extract and orange zest to both the blondie batter and the cream cheese frosting and they were phenomenal. I definitely baked them for about double the time but they turned out great in the end! I was skeptical when they first came out of the oven because the top was a little sticky, but when they cooled the bars were the perfect texture. My mom, a fan of the OG starbucks bars, says she can’t tell the difference!

  42. I made these last night and they’re good, but they’re missing the citrusy flavor from the ginger and the orange zest that the bars normally have. Adding ginger and a citrus zest really help balance the flavor. I ended up adding a touch of lemon zest over the top before the white chocolate drizzle. I also found the bar part to be a bit too sweet. I also cut the powered sugar in the frosting. The next batch I make, I’ll cut the amount of white granulated sugar and add my ginger and orange zest to the top of the bars. Overall, this is a great recipe! Thanks for sharing! I love how the applesauce keeps the bars the perfect consistency, not too dry!

  43. I made these with whole eggs instead of egg whites and subbed 1/8 cup Skyr 0% fat-free yogurt for the 1/4 cup applesauce called for in the recipe (simply because I didn’t have any applesauce on hand). I also subbed melted coconut oil for the melted butter as I no longer have butter in the pantry. Baked in a 9X13 glass pyrex dish in a gas oven – required 25 mins at 350F to achieve total baked-ness. Ovens will vary! I used less cream cheese than the recipe called for (approx 2/3’s the amount) but it was plenty to frost the bars thinly – which is what I prefer. I didn’t use a white chocolate drizzle on top but did use a dusting of sprinkles…. just to make it a bit festive and ‘kid friendly’. I’d consider it a success overall! They aren’t identical to the Starbuck’s version but I think they’re very good.

  44. so my 9×13 pan was too short so I used a 7×11 and made my own applesauce sine I didn’t have any. I also baked it for about 35 mins and it turned out great.

    1. This was my exact issue. Mine ended up being about the thickness of a sheet cake (understandably). Is this how yours came out as well? I’m contemplating whether or not I need to remake them or if the thick bars will work.

  45. The reason that this recipe has 50% of the calories & WW points as the original starbucks cranberry bliss bars is because it’s half the size. The recipe is delicious, and we enjoyed the bars, but cutting a 9×13 pan into 30 bars means the bars are very small. Half the size of the original, almost exactly. I was pretty disappointed by this. I have another recipe for cranberry bliss bars, that has the same number of points, and is much easier to make than this one. I actually think it’s better. Anyway, you’ve been warned. Not a skinny recipe, just a smaller portion. 

  46. Avatar photo
    Sheila MacDonald

    I will try this. Applesauce is my secret ingredient for replacing fat in muffins and brownies. This should be great!

  47. Anyone try halving the recipe with success? Only 2 people in my household and I want to try these, but not be left with a ton. 

  48. I wanted to make these for the last two Christmas seasons but never had all of the ingredients at one time! Well I did today and they did not disappoint. I followed the recipe exactly and they were soo good! I got nervous about all the comments saying the bake time was too short but they were perfect at the 14 minute mark. Ovens vary so its important to keep an eye on them. Served them for dessert at a BBQ and they all disappeared. I was told I must make them for Christmas every year only because they are too dangerous to have around regularly!

  49. These taste really good and are easy to make. There was more icing than expected so they were a bit drippy. 

  50. Wonderful!  I took these to work on a good day and coworkers barely touched them.  My family was so happy because they finally got to have a treat instead of seeing an empty pan come back home.  Will make again but you do need to bake longer than…I had to bake 20 minutes

  51. Avatar photo
    Joanne Bambrick

    A Christmas tradition. I made them for my family and they were such a treat that I now make them to give as gifts. I’m making them today for Christmas Eve dinner.
    I do leave out the cinnamon as my son is allergic to it, this way he can have them too.

  52. I think cooking time majorly depends on your climate and oven, as I have made these a few years back and only had to bake around 15 minutes, and today is taking a little longer as we now have a different oven. I also highly recommend using 1/2 tsp of almond extract to the batter and cut the vanilla down to 1.5 tsp! It gives it a sweet amaretto flavor! I highly recommend this recipe as it is fast, easy, and such a crowd pleaser!!! 

  53. I wonder if you could bake these in a larger baking dish so they are thinner and therefore less points/calories per serving? I haven’t tried this recipe yet but it’s on my list!!

  54. I made these last night and they were amazing. I did end up having to cook them for 20 minutes. They turned out perfect!

  55. Avatar photo
    Cheryl Wingate

    I have heard nothing but rave reviews about these bars, so I decided to make a double batch for a party. I followed the directions exactly, correct pan size, etc., the top was a beautiful golden color and the tester came out clean, and following the direction to make sure not to overcook them, I let the bars cool and then iced them. It wasn’t until I cut into them that I saw that they were not nearly baked long enough inside and looked raw still. (No idea why the tester came out clean. My oven runs hot normally, so that is not the problem either.) I have since seen many comments regarding the cook time for this recipe being a little “off.” (Roughly 20 minutes needed rather than 10-14.) I hope this can be updated on the website recipe due to this common problem many people have had. I don’t normally have to read all of the comments to find out how to “really” prepare a recipe, especially Skinnytaste ones. I can tell these bars must be fantastic when they turn out, but it sure is disappointing that I won’t be serving these tomorrow. I love this site and Gina’s recipes. This is my first mishap so I felt it was necessary to comment.

  56. Made these last night and really think they are even better after refrigeration.  They were moist, chewy and have a delicious cranberry flavor.  Thanks for an awesome recipe.  I am making another batch for my wife to take to a Christmas party today.  

  57. Absolutely delicious.  Definitely will be making a bunch for the holidays. As a few other people said, it took a bit over 20 minutes for mine to bake, but my pan was slightly smaller. 
    This recipe is a keeper!

  58. I don’t think I have tried a recipe from Gina that I haven’t liked. These are so delicious. I followed the recipe to a T except I added orange zest.  The icing isn’t as sweet as Starbuck’s but that makes it even better! 

  59. Came out amazing! I added an extra spoonful of icing sugar to the icing, and sprinkled chopped pistachios with the cranberries for Christmas. As someone else mentioned it had to bake for 20 minutes.

  60. I’m saddened to say, but this is a horrific recipe. The cooking time has taken me nearly 30 minutes and the middle is still raw. Extremely disappointed that I wasted the money on the ingredients and my time.

  61. Why not make them skinnier by adding sugar substitutes? Splenda Blend, Splenda Brown Sugar, low sugar cranberries, Swerve powdered sugar, and you can even use Pillsbury sugar free yellow cake mix in place of flour, soda, and salt.

    1. You can, but I personally don’t cook with processed foods or Splenda. I prefer to use clean ingredients, real food. Feel free to swap it if you wish.

  62. Yum!! These were a big hit with my family. I made them for a Christmas party later this week so I plan to freeze them and have them ready to go on the day of. I did have to bake them for 20 minutes and I added an extra half cup of powdered sugar to the frosting but otherwise followed the recipe as written. I plan to put this in my regular rotation of holiday desserts. Thanks, Gina!

  63. These were so good! The cream cheese Icing balances the sweetness of the bars. I did have to bake a bit longer but I used a glass dish. 

  64. Avatar photo
    Stacy Skinner

    Can these be made ahead? If so, how long will they last in the refrigerator? These look great. I was hoping to get a jump start on my Thanksgiving cooking, two days ahead of the holiday.

  65. I made the bars, Delicious….my problem…using Gheraldi white chocolate for the main body of the bars, perfect…Used the same chocolate to melt for the drizzle…fail….I used a double boiler….and then tried in the microwave…I did not get the white chocolate to melt so I eliminated….

    1. Chocolate chips are specifically designed not to melt, this may be why you had a problem melting them down to drizzle. You can try white chocolate bakers chocolate instead for the drizzle. Bakers chocolate is designed to melt. 

  66. Avatar photo
    Susan in Texas

    Made these for our bible study & were a Such a great hit! 
    Next time may add almonds to batter & almond extract to frosting.
    Or orange extract in batter & frosting.  Soooo many possibilities❣️

  67. I wonder how they would work as Gluten free, these were my favorite before I was GF. Has anyone tried, they look so delicious!

    1. I used to work at Starbucks many years ago and would bring these home for Christmas, my sister loved them and then later we found out she’s gluten free. I’m planning to make these with almond flour for her, I will try to remember to post how they turn out for you!

  68. I followed the directions exactly but the 14 minutes wasn’t enough they were still not Brown and not cooked. Did anyone else have this problem of having to cook them longer?

  69. Are the points calculated on each square or just the triangle. I have not made them yet, but want to!!

  70. These are super easy to make and as delicious as they are pretty! We are loving all of the Skinnytaste recipes I’ve made! Thank you for the low fat, healthy recipes, meal plans and (bonus) grocery lists!! There is no excuse to not stay on track, now that I’ve found this website:) Thank you thank you!

  71. Avatar photo
    Jane McKillip

    Do you know how many carbs are in a serving? These look so good. I am dying to make them. I am pre diabetic, so have to watch my carbs. I am hoping this will be the recipe I can use. Bless you for figuring this out! You are . Thank you so much.

  72. Thanks to posters who suggested some tips – ginger in the base; orange zest in the icing; less baking soda; dark chocolate in the base instead of all-sugar white choc.
    While those suggestions made a good improvement, we found the base too much like cake than cookie, even with less b/soda. Wasn’t thrilled with the end result.

    1. I’d also prefer dark chocolate instead of white. Wanted to like these way more but wasn’t happy. Maybe I’m just not a white chocolate cranberry Bliss Bar fan? Ginger sounds good too! And orange zest. And I’ve read pistachios on top too 

  73. These bars were a huge hit!  Everyone loved them – and no one knew they were the “skinny” version.  So delicious!!

  74. I made these again today. I substituted white chocolate for milk chocolate chips because that is what I had on hand. They are really good with chocolate chips and it goes well with cranberries. I have made them a few times and think that the frosting should have more sugar in it (for my taste) and I added orange and lemon zest in the frosting. for added flavour. . I have frozen them (without the frosting) for pre-Christmas baking and found that they froze well. Really enjoyed these.

  75. Avatar photo
    Tracey J Cain

    I normally don’t participate in leaving reviews but I just HAD TO after making this recipe last night. They are dangerously delicious! And beautiful on a Christmas cookie plate. Thank you for sharing it!

  76. Avatar photo
    Michelle Ross Miller

    You may want to rephrase your description. You said these bars have more than half the calories of the original. Actually, they have fewer than half of the original’s calories. I look forward to trying the recipe. I’m sure I’ll enjoy it.

  77. I was afraid to over bake these and cooked them for 15 minutes…they are completely raw.  the edges were really brown though and I didn’t want to burn….not sure if I should increase temp or time to save the outer edges.  Nothing to do with altitude near Chicago.  Is this a common issue?

    1. I ended up cooking them longer, they were too raw.  Will let you know if they  are dry..hoping they are not.

  78. These are delicious!! What a lovely holiday treat!! I baked them twice this week to take into my fiancé’s office & both times they were a huge hit..gone within hours and so many compliments. I baked mine a little longer the second time, 19 minutes.. and liked the texture a bit better. At 16 min mine still seemed underdone. I used a glass Pyrex dish 9×13. I also added a tad more powdered sugar to the icing to soften the cream cheese flavor punch. Thanks for this recipe!! Can’t wait to make them again!! 

  79. These were great. I followed recommendations of adding ginger and orange zest. I also omitted the baking soda (prefer less leavening when making bars). Very delicious. 

  80. So I am in the middle of making these and I have two questions: Did you really mean “melted” butter? Because I did this and there was no way the batter was even close to crumbly. It was more like a brownie batter consistency. I’ve now had these in the oven for over 15 minutes and they are still gooey in the middle. I live at a pretty high altitude – 7001 ft above sea level. I usually need to compensate the oven temperature about 15-degrees higher but not the baking time. Suggestions?

    1. Avatar photo
      Eleanor Graves

      These are AMAZING! I baked them for a Thanksgiving potluck for work and they were a huge hit. Like a lot of others who posted, I had to bake for about 18 minutes before a toothpick came out clean. Worth having to check and recheck often, though, because they ended up perfectly done. I’ll be doing this again and again. 👍🏻

  81. Avatar photo
    Jackie Gemmell

    So i found when freshly made, they are very sticky and hard to work with. I refrigerated overnight….wow what a difference! !!!
    much easier to handle

  82. This recipe has some errors in the Nutritional Information. There is NO WAY that one bar could have 24 grams of fiber. There is nothing in the recipe containing fiber, except maybe a trace in the dried cranberries…but those are full of sugar. These are loaded with carbs and sugar and almost ZERO fiber. I wonder how many unsuspecting folks have read this and believed it?!? It’s so wrong, ESPECIALLY for diabetics who are watching their carb intake.

      1. I just double checked the nutritional information and any updates needed have been made.

  83. I haven’t tried the Starbucks version to compare but these are fantastic! I am in the UK and tried it in a Swiss roll tin which has the same dimensions. I wondered if the bars need to be stored in the fridge due to the cream cheese element? Many thanks for a great recipe ? 

  84. I love your recipes and your website. However, you might want to make a slight correction on the first line of your description. You say: “These Makeover Cranberry Bliss Bars are SO good, with more than half the calories and fat of the ones you buy at Starbucks and so much cheaper to make yourself!” I think we all know you mean “less” than half the calories and fat.

  85. I made this and it turned out perfect, the only thing is that i used whole fat cream cheese in the frosting because thats the only thing i had at home! It’s very good, very close the starbucks version but a little bit less pily and I actually liked it better that way. I think it needed 12-14 min cooking time and thats it! Even few days later, I t was still good after heating it for 20 sec in the microwave (i kept it refrigerated)!

  86. My friend has a severe apple allergy.  Could I substitute the apple sauce with vegetable oil?  If so, by how much?  I would love for her to be able to enjoy these too. 

  87. The bliss in the recipe description is spot on–these are absolutely delicious!. I made these for Christmas 2017– followed the recipe without substitutions and they came out perfectly. However, I did have to bake the batter for 20 minutes instead of the 10-14 minutes noted in the recipe (I am not at sea level or high-altitude–I am in the good old Midwest)–at 20 minutes I had a perfectly done base. The one problem was that I had to give so much of the second batch I made away (to very willing recipients) because I loved the bars so much, otherwise I would have eaten the whole batch myself (they were that good and though I am not typically a food addict, I could have become one fast with these)!

  88. These were soooo yummy. Even though they cut into fairly small pieces, they are so rich that it is enough. I brought these into work and my co-workers were taking seconds and thirds.

  89. I made these today and they turned out great. I used a smaller pan than 9 x 13 as the dough is sticky and hard to spread out and found it worked better with a smaller pan. It took about 18 minutes to bake in my oven. It may be the pans, ovens and also how thick the mixture is that seems to be altering the bake time noted by Gina.

    If I made them again, I would probably add a bit more sugar to my cream cheese frosting and some orange zest to the batter/mixture. But otherwise I wouldn’t change anything.

    I don’t think they will last long.

  90. i made mine vegan and with whole wheat flour and they came out pretty good!
    and def took longer the 14 min to cook

    1. I’ve made them with 2 full eggs and with just one, and they’re fine. I do like them a bit cakey, although tonight, even w/2 eggs room temperature (I usually use straight out of the fridge), they were pretty flat, cookie-like

    1. Yes, but then they’re not really skinny. You can sub pear or even prune puree, but probably less sugar with the latter.

  91. These bars are amazing- I made a batch and froze half and served at a family Christmas party to rave reviews! Today I was inspired to make them again but switched out the white chocolate and dried cranberries with dark chocolate and dried cherries because that is what I had on hand! They just came out of the oven and look and smell amazing! By far these bliss bars are my favorite for the holidays!

  92. I made these tonight and had a challenge speading them out on the pan. I used parchment paper under so I wonder if that was why. I decided after having the dough stick to everything I was trying to flatten the dough out with, to make cookies. I still iced them with cream cheese icing and white chocolate drizzle. I’m using them for a work Christmas exchange so I’m happy with the way they look. 

  93. Avatar photo
    Brooke Frederick

    Woooow! Just finished icing & cutting these, and they are FAB! I will be honest, they (obviously) don’t taste quite as rich as the Starbucks version, but they are very close, and (almost) guilt-free! 

    I iced them a little thinner & found I had lots of icing left over, but I’m sure everyone has their own preferences. 

    These look so impressive and I am excited to bring them to our Christmas dinner dessert table! Thanks AGAIN, Gina! Your recipes are a major go-to at our home.

  94. In order for it to be like Starbucks, this recipe needs 2tbs of crystallized ginger in the batter and definitely needs orange zest in the frosting. 

    1. I use Trader Joe’s Triple Ginger Ginger Snaps, pulverized, for up to 1/2 c. flour in the recipe. I also omit the cinnamon.

  95.  Just made these for a Ladies Christmas party, had to try one, they are delicious! I followed the recipe  exactly except  I added some fresh squeezed orange juice to the icing. These are  scrumptious!   I cannot wait until my friends try to these. 

  96. I believe there is a citrus element in the Starbucks version. I don’t know if its orange or lemon, but it really adds to it.

  97. Gina,

    just curious, if I left out the frosting and just made the bars, would it taste okay? I need something with cranberry and white chocolate to mail and I’m pretty sure the frosting wouldn’t make it through the mail. Also I was wondering if you knew the points in the bars if you leave out the frosting. I need something sweet that’s low enough in points to have it more often. This looks like a likely candidate…

  98. These are good, but not what I expected. The bottom layer did not turn out like a cookie layer, more like a cake bar. It took me 20 minutes to bake the bottom layer. I won’t make these again as the time effort weren’t worth the results.

  99. I’m making these for a bake sale. After I cut them, can they be stacked with wax paper between the layers in a cookie tin or will they get messed up? How long do they last?

  100. Avatar photo
    karen aagesen

    The recipe calls for these in a 9 x 13 pan, but the video shows the batter spread into a jelly roll pan. which is it?

  101. These look fantastic! I plan on trying these out this weekend. Do you think I could use coconut oil instead of unsalted butter? If so, how much would I use, and would it affect the baking time? Thanks in advance.

  102. This is my Christmas Day treat for my children! I made them in an 8X11  pan because that was the closest size I had to the recipe! I ended up baking a little longer than it stated but so far they look delicious! Icing tastes wonderful! Can’t wait for them to cool! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

  103. I made these yesterday and shared them with family and brought into work and they were a hit!!  They tasted great!!! I will be making them again!!  Super easy make!!

  104. I just made them with chopped fresh  cranberries in the brownie and thus cut the sugar, and then will use the dried cranberries in the frosting!
    Delicious

  105. I always try one new recipe every year to add to my holiday baking. These bars are delicious and so moist. I will definately be making them again. So much better than store bought and love the reduced calories.

  106. Did anyone watch the video it shows her putting eggs and egg whites in. In the written recipe it just says egg whites??

  107. This was my pick for a night of Christmas goodie baking with friends last night. They turned out SO well!! Beautiful, soft, sweet,… decadent!!! No one could believe this was a “lightened up” version. Even better this morning with coffee. Another hit, Gina! Thank you!!

  108. Would these still be good without the cream cheese icing ? My husband cannot eat cream cheese, How about just a white chocolate drizzle??

  109. Can I substitute fresh cranberries I have in the freezer?
    If so in what quantities should I substitute

  110. Can anyone tell me or post a picture of how the consistency looks like after mixing just the wet ingredients? And what color it looks like? With egg whites I’m not sure if I’m over our under mixing. Thank you! I’d really like to make these!

  111. I can’t wait to try these!! They’re in the oven right now.  Mine are going on 30 minutes baking bc they were still wet inside when I checked them at the 15, 20 & 25 minute mark. But, different ovens, altitudes, etc. My house smells amazing!! These are my husbands favorite treat from Starbucks and he also happens to be watching his weight so these are perfect!!

  112. Does anyone know what the carb count would be if I used a sugar substitute for the white sugar and a blend for the brown sugar?

    1. I usually just key in the adjusted ingredients into My Fitness Pal and it should tell you.  It’s an app for your electronic devices and can also search and download any recipe by searching it.

    1. Avatar photo
      Bonnie meada

      Coconut flour wouldn’t be an equal substitute. You would have to alter a lot to use coconut flour…

  113. I made these exactly to the recipe, and I think there needs to be an adjustment for high altitude. There is not enough flour in this recipe. Mine came out flat.

    1. I’m in Denver as well and mine are taking about 18-20 minutes and are coming out puffy. I didn’t make any alterations other than the time.

  114. I just made these for the second time this week! I modified the recipe to be gluten free, using almond flour, spelt flour and GF flour blend, and used Splenda and coconut palm sugar in place of the sugars, and used a whole egg instead of whites. They turned out AMAZING! I took them to work last week and everyone loved them, and never would've guessed they were gluten free!

    1. Connie- can you please give me the gluten free version. I know nothing about gluten free, but would love to make these for my sons teacher who is. Thank you 

    2. Making them right now gluten free, and we just used the one to one flour so we didn’t have to measure the different flours out. 

    3. I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour for gluten free. They weren’t as sturdy but still delicious. 

  115. I ended up baking for about 18 minutes, and I also didn't want to overbake but I could tell it was still raw. it still came out moist and delicious!!

  116. I followed the recipe exactly. I cooked the bars 14 minutes and I think they are still slightly undercooked- but I was nervous to over bake them. The flavor is ridiculously good – I am at 7000 in elevation – should I make some adjustments??? I think next time I would add lemon zest to the cream cheese mixture. Thanks

  117. Any ideas as to what I could sub for the chocolate in this? My husband has severe chocolate allergies and I cant risk it. (He gets terrible headaches from it). Almond bark is an o.k. sub, but its always lacking that special something that comes from true white chocolate.

    1. Well, white chocolate does not actually contain any chocolate, just mostly sugar and milk. That’s why it’s so sweet.

  118. This has been my special go to recipe for the past 3 years. Love them and so does everyone else. I follow the recipe exactly with 1 minor addition, I add orange zest to the cream cheese frosting. Great recipe!

  119. Avatar photo
    Lindsey Persico

    I have now made these about 5 times. The last few were by request. I live in England right now and the Starbucks over here does not have the bliss bars, which is one of my favorite parts about Christmas. These fill the need without most of the guilt. Thank you!

  120. These are amazing! Thank you for the recipe! I only use 1/3 white chocolate chips and 2/3 coconut sugar (I leave out the white sugar) and you cannot tell at all. I also use Pamela's gluten free flour and no one knows the difference!

  121. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for this recipe. Not having to run to Starbucks for my cranberry bliss bar fix is going to save my waistline and my wallet this holiday season.

    I just made these last night. I cut a little of the sugar in the frosting bc I think Starbuck's version is a little too sweet. I also added 1/4 teaspoon orange extract based on other comments. Last, I chopped the white chocolate and sprinkled it on instead of doing a drizzle…call me lazy. 🙂

  122. Avatar photo
    Margi Hansen

    I just took these out of the oven. I'm not sure what I did wrong, I followed the directions perfectly. The bar is really poofy. It seems like it doesn't fit in the pan. I haven't made the frosting yet…but I'm not sure how I'm going to cut these.

    Yeah, please change that type. Like numerous people have said it's Gold Medal

      1. Did you freeze completely assembled? Or did you frost after thawing? Thanks!! 

  123. Gina … you life saver …. well, at least you are a wallet and figure saver. I'm addicted to cranberry bliss bars and I'm afraid of what it is doing to my wallet and my waist line. I'm so excited to make these. You are a hero to most of us who follow you blog (and now cookbook) faithfully.

    1. Exactly!
      I’ve been enjoying Skinny Taste since I discovered the website last year but now I think I’m in love.
      I was thinking the same thing as Jade about the cranberry bliss and tripped across this life saver of a recipe 

      Thank you!!

  124. I wonder why mine took almost 20 minutes to cook? Once they finished baking, they look amazing!

    1. Mine took about 20 minutes, too. And just a heads up for other readers- I don’t think altitude has anything to do with it, because I’m at sea level. (But that wouldn’t be a bad theory otherwise!)

      1. Mine took 20 minutes too. And they came out perfect. I used a slightly smaller pan so I thought the thickness was the reason it took longer. I am in the valley so altitude isn’t the case.

    2. Mine also took 20 minutes and I’m not at sea level or high altitude (am in Ohio)–20 minutes and they baked to perfection. I just noted the change on the recipe I printed out for future reference.

  125. Made these to take to a friend's cabin this weekend, and they were delicious. I think the kids were wary of the fruit on top – it looked too healthy and not very chocolate-y, but if you could convince them to try it, they liked it.

  126. I just made these and had my first little triangle. They are amazingly good. Thanks for the recipe and the skinny adjustments. love it

  127. I made these for an office party, and had so many people asking for the recipe that now they are my go-to recipe for parties. These are so tasty!

  128. Avatar photo
    Quiltin Jenny

    Thank you so much for this recipe! I am a big fan of the Starbucks version and am thrilled to have a healthier (and cheaper) substitute! I made these for Valentine's Day and brought some to my coworkers. Everyone raved about them.

    Thanks for your recipes and inspiration!!

  129. Just wanted to pass along a tip – made these for Christmas and were a huge hit. We left town before we could eat them all so I put the leftovers in the freezer and they came out perfect. So, IF by chance someone has leftovers (unlikely, I know), they freeze well and are just as delicious in the middle of January.

  130. I made a batch in 2 separate smaller pans, so we ate one and gave the other to my daughter's teacher for Christmas. I loved them, and I still have a pound of cranberries to use.

  131. My bars came out perfect. Did not experience any problems that others have mentioned. They were delicious and will now be a part of our Christmas gatherings 🙂

  132. I tried these and they were very yummy! I think I like them better than the Starbucks ones because they taste less sugary. I would make them again for sure!

  133. My dad just linked this to me, thanks dad, wondering if adding candied ginger to the cookie dough makes a huge calorie difference. The version I have has candied ginger in the mix, should I just use powdered ginger?

  134. Oh Gina I love you for doing this! I am not a big sweet eat eater but every year I wait for Starbucks to put these out. I eat one then buy a pan for the office. Everyone loves them. Now I can eat two or even three :)!!

  135. These were fantastic, and a big hit with family last night. I substituted dried cherries, and they were delicious. However, a couple notes…..A whisk does not cut it for this recipe! The batter is incredibly stiff and thick. Electric beater is the tool for the job. Also, I had to add twice as much applesauce to get a smooth batter….with just 1/4 cup, it was dust-dry. Even then, it was very stiff and difficult to spread. And finally, my white ceramic pan required about 25 minutes to bake. They came out super-moist, but after 10 minutes they were still runny. The pan, the oven and the climate make a big difference, so you really have to watch the time carefully.

  136. These came out beautifully and absolutely delicious!!! I made this for my family for Christmas and everyone raved. They couldn't believe they weren't the fatty, caloric Starbucks version!
    My only issue was with the white chocolate not melting enough so my "drizzle" was fat strips of white chocolate… Not as pretty as yours but just as yummy, I am sure! Thanks for the great recipe. This one is a keeper!

  137. These were pretty darn good, thanks as always Gina! Just as comments/responses:
    1. My cookie bar/pan was done at 14 min. though possibly could have gone a minute or two longer. It was just *barely* browning on the edges.
    2. I had problems getting the cookie out of the baking pan. I ended up having to cut into into 3 big hunks to remove and one of them sort of shattered on me, though it was salvageable. Any hints or tricks as to when/how to get these out of the pan cleanly?
    3. For the drizzle at the end, I tried to melt Nestle white chocolate chips in the microwave. They went from hard, to sorta soft, to a solid mass, even taking them out to stir every 15-20 sec. I ended up using milk chocolate chips (melted the same way in the microwave without a problem). It was delicious and a nice contrasting color to the white frosting and red cranberries.

  138. These are AMAZING! I made them once and ate them every morning for 2 weeks. However, I had 2 problems with them. First, it took almost 30 minutes for them to cook int he middle. Maybe it was because I;m at high altitude? They were good in the middle but a little hard to eat at the edges. Also, my white chocolate didn't melt so I made the mistake of adding water. Other than that, these were absolutely fabulous and I will make them again.

  139. ive made these twice and each time they are amzing. i love making them and my husband loves eating them. question though, is there an easier way to even the batter towards the corners? the batter tends to be really gooey and hard to distrube throughout the pan. wondering if anyone had any luck. otherwise, its really had just to eat one!

  140. LOVE this recipe! I used a 9×13 pan and my baking time was closer to 20 minutes. Otherwise this was spot on! Cant wait to bring these to my family Christmas party tonight!

  141. I tried to make Cranberry Bliss Bars last year at Christmas, but they came out rather thick with very heavy icing and too much white chocolate drizzle. This recipe makes them lighter and fluffier, a much better consistency. The only change I made was to add a bit of orange extract to the batter and the icing, so the flavor seems closer to the Starbucks version than without. I do have a question: my white chocolate doesn't get thin enough to drizzle, so I get clumps of chocolate on top of the icing/cranberries. I heated it in the microwave over a minute, using 15-second bursts. I worry that I will burn it if I go much further. Any suggestions?

  142. It's my job to bring desserts this year for Christmas, and I'm adding this to my list! Thanks for this recipe!!

  143. Used gluten free flour, accidentally only bought half the amount of cream cheese but they still turned out great!!

  144. OMG THESE ARE DELICIOUS! I served them to company and they never guessed that they were WW. Love your take on recipes.

  145. I had the same problem as some people above with the white baking chocolates not melting properly. Like other people, melting white chocolate chips instead worked great.

  146. These are really good! Even my kids liked them! Why go to Starbucks when you can bake your own. I will be making these again.

  147. I printed the copycat Starbucks recipe for these a couple months ago but haven't tried it yet cuz most in my family don't care for cranberries (silly them). Then I ran across this "skinny-fied" version and decided "it's time." Especially since they look so Christmas-y. I baked them last night and brought them in to work today. OMG- they are Sooooo good. A big hit.

    My question is- how does anyone get their chocolate to melt so it's thin enough to drizzle? I used some good Ghiradhelli white chocolate but it still ended up in little drops instead of a drizzle.

    1. Avatar photo
      Samantha_dessertaholic

      Honestly, the baking chocolate the recipe calls for didn't melt very well at all for me either. So what I did instead was melt white chocolate chips and I had no problem getting it to become liquid. Plus I scooped it into a plastic sandwich bag and cut a little corner and used that to pipe it into the bars with–so much easier!!

  148. Avatar photo
    Stefanie Wills

    I loved these bliss bars! I am not always the best baker, and these were so easy to make! Even won most unique at our cookie exchange at work. They were a bit hard to cut though, with the chocolate chips, glaze, and cranberries, so be careful cutting! Other than that I followed the recipe to a T.

  149. I made these for our family Christmas cookie exchange this year and they were AMAZING. I personally loved them, and they also received rave reviews from my aunts and cousins. These are going in the permanent stash! Thanks for creating these!

  150. how is this clean!? its packed with processed sugars and wheat flour? why not coconut or quinoa flour at the least

    1. Who said anything about clean? All she said is that she received requests for a lighter version, which is what this is. She never once claimed that these were clean.

  151. Avatar photo
    Marilyn Daley

    Last Monday they gave out free samples of this at Starbucks in my building. I made this recipe today. I baked them about 20 minutes. They weren't done at 14 minutes. I liked these so much better than the Starbucks version. AWESOME!

  152. Avatar photo
    Samantha_dessertaholic

    They do need longer than the 14 minutes to bake, but as long as you keep checking them in the middle every 2-3 minutes and rotate the pan, they'll be fine.

  153. I love to bake. It's my creative outlet, but I don't eat anything with processed sugar. I made these and also found they needed more than 14 minutes-just checked them every 2 minutes until done. I love the suggestion of crystallized ginger and will add them next time. Sent half with my wife to her work and took half with me. There wasn't a crumb that made it home. And when my wife's coworkers found out they were "skinny" they begged my wife to pry the recipe from me. A HUGE hit. I did try to take them out of the pan too early and they did break somy, but I was able to "glue" it back together with the frosting. A definite keeper.

  154. I didn't change one thing and these were as good as or dare I say even BETTER than Starbucks ones. They are just excellent and have been enjoyed by all my family! Thanks for all your wonderful recipes!

  155. I made these yesterday for a fundraiser at our church. They turned out great. Gina, thank you for your great healthy recipes. I've made several of your soup recipes and have not been disappointed.

  156. Made these for a cookie exchange and they were a HUGE hit! I also added some orange extract because I love the cranberry orange combination. I am going to try to lesson the sugar and ditch the frosting for a breakfast bar! Maybe add nuts too, yumm!!

  157. Gina, I have been reading and using recipes from your blog for over two years–and while I absolutely love practically everything you make, I was so compelled to comment this time because these are absolutely spectacular!!

    Thank you so much for your commitment to offering healthier alternatives to all of our lives–I can't count the number of times I've thought, "what am I going to make for dinner tonight?" and automatically coming here to find my answer! And while I get all of the praise, you deserve all of the credit. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

  158. These were absolutely the best. Didn't change anything except it did take longer than the 14 minutes until they were baked in the middle. They were a bit "expensive" in terms of weight watcher points, but worth every bite.

  159. I made this over the weekend and it did take longer than 10-14 minutes for it to cook, I would say a bit closer to 18-20 minutes. BUT, I am not rating this badly because it was AMAZING!! WOW!! So tasty, I felt I was being decadent without all the calories (which made having two pieces ok lol ) I also gave some to co-workers and they really enjoyed them as well. I would certainly make them again, recommend them. Next, I might even not do the cream cheese icing and just sprinkle the white chocolate!

  160. Mine took way longer than 14 minutes to cook. They were still very mooshy at 14 minutes. But otherwise they turned out amazing! Thank you for the great recipe!

    1. Yeah, I baked mine for 18 minutes. I was so concerned about the "Do not overbake" that I took them out. they were a little mushy. I think it really needed another couple of minutes. Not sure why, followed the recipe exactly. The batter never was stiff enough to pat down though. Should have been my clue! Will try again some time with an eye on the batter before baking.

    2. Needing more time to cook could be because of altitude. The time given in the recipe is most likely for at sea level. Learned this lesson the hard way when I moved to the mountains.

  161. I made these over the weekend. I followed the recipe as written except for adding the zest of one orange to the dough.

    They were great–even better then the original. In the Starbuck's version the cookie part is very chewy and dense. These had a lighter, slightly more cake-like texture which I liked better.

    I gave my niece a plate to take to work and she says they were a big hit.

  162. Has anyone tried maki these yet using Splenda or domino light baking products and light butter made these the other day love them and refrigerate very well.

  163. I have made the full fat version from another site and LOVED them. I reluctantly decided to try these for a party last night because the hostess is really watching her calories. These turned out great. They are slightly less "decadent" and the cinnamon in the dough makes them taste slightly different. These are a great desert though.

  164. Do you think that these bars would freeze well? And if so, would you recommend freezing them with or without the icing and drizzle?

    1. I froze the finished product with no problem at all they were just as good as when they were fresh. Thawed them while we were eating dinner and they were perfect for dessert. Tina

  165. Avatar photo
    Yvette @ Muy Bueno

    Wow! I'm not a huge fan of white chocolate but I think I can make an exception for these. Festive and oh so gorgeous!

  166. These look amazing, can't wait to try them.
    Just wanted to point out though, it is Gold MEDAL flour, not Metal 🙂

  167. I love your recipes!! Just wondering though, I have an apple allergy and wondered what I could use instead of the applesauce? Any ideas? Thanks!

  168. Gina! I tell everyone I know, about your website! I made these last night. They taste awesome, if not better than the originals. I plan to share with my co-workers and freeze a few as well. I am not a baker, but your instructions were very easy to follow. I'm also taking the week long challenge! You are awesome!

  169. OMG GINA! Making these tonight!
    Do you think you could try making a lighter version of their Cheese Danish???? 😉

  170. Avatar photo
    Rachel Blane

    These look amazing! Would light butter work instead of unsalted butter? I have a ton left over from making your pumpkin pie! Thanks!

  171. Avatar photo
    Cookin woman

    Gina,
    I love you, your amazing. Thank you for making my life easier with the delicious and healthy recipes that my whole family loves

  172. Love these! Came out perfect. I used half whole wheat and half white flour. I used a little less sugar and it was fine. My husband loved them too! Thanks for another great recipe!

  173. those who have made – do you really NEED the frosting? I'm thinking pressing chopped cranberries & macadamias into the top before baking then finishing with a drizzle of white choc…
    …but wondered maybe you need the frosting for the moisture content?

    1. I don't think you NEED the frosting. The cookie bars themselves are very good. I like the tang of the cream cheese frosting to counter the sweetness of the white chocolate. If you skip the frosting, I'd be very careful not to overcook so the bars don't dry out.

  174. Avatar photo
    Elya LaMarche

    Holy crap these are phenomenal!! They don't taste "skinny" at all! Awesome job Gina! Now to ration myself to 1 a day…I could easily finish the whole pan!

  175. Hi!! I am not a fan of white chocolate could I use regular chocolate chips instead… or maybe a mix of both?? thanks!

  176. So excited to make these for my family! Love everything I have tried from your website and often refer my WW members to your site. Thanks so much!!!!!

    1. I haven't tried the commercially-made Greek yogurt cream cheese here in America, but I've lived in Africa the past two years, and the only way I could make cream cheese was by straining regular yogurt through cheesecloth for 4-8 hours (I got the idea from the Cleaner Plate Club blog). It's a tiny bit more tart than American cream cheese, but I used it for cream cheese icing all the time while overseas. I guess you just get used to the flavor, even if it is a tiny bit different than full-fat American cream cheese icing. Good luck!

  177. Might there be a way to make this Gluten Free? If so, please share your tips.. I ONLY trust Gina revipes, always fabulous and can't wait to give this a try either way

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      You could try a good gluten free blend flour, but I have not tried it. I heard William Sonomas cup4cup is the best.

  178. Avatar photo
    Skinnytaste Gina

    Strange, maybe leave them a few minutes longer. Since they worked for others, I'm not sure why you didn't have success.

  179. What's your opinion on subbing some, if not all, of the sugar and brown sugar in the cake for Spenda products? I'd have to run it through Recipe Builder to see what the PP value would be. I'm not much of a baker, so I don't know if Splenda works well or not in recipes like this. But I'd love to make these Bliss Bars! Thanks for all you do!!

  180. Starbucks Bliss Bars have crystallized ginger in them. A big flavor component. I'm not sure how many points it would add. When I make them I put in 2 tablespoons finely minced. Thanks for lightening them up!

    1. I was surprised to not see any ginger in these! I will not be skipping that flavor. I'll also add a tsp of ground ginger to the bar with the crystallized ginger.

  181. I started making these within 5 minutes of seeing this recipe. They are fantastic! Thank you for this amazing recipe!

  182. The original bars from Starbucks have a lemon essence to them, I wonder how lemon extract instead of vanilla would taste?

    1. i'm a starbucks barista. you're correct. it has an "orange-scented, white chocolate drizzle" according to my supervisor 🙂

    2. Avatar photo
      Rebecca Levings

      I added a little orange zest to the icing. It worked perfectly! Thanks for this recipe Gina, I've been searching for a good one for literally YEARS! This was the best low fat copy I've EVER found. THANK YOU!!!

    3. I used Trader Joe's orange flavored dried cranberries to get that subtle orange flavor and they turned out great!

  183. I ran out of white flour at about 1.25c so I used a mix of ww and gluten free. I also forgot butter at the store so I used 1/8-1/6c canola oil. They turned out excellent. Thanks Gina!

  184. Avatar photo
    Joyfulartist

    Bless your heart! These are my favorite indulgence when Starbucks has them. Now I can have my Bliss and not go over points! You have made me very happy!

    1. The points are listed at the beginning of the recipe with the nutritional info (just before the ingredients).

  185. Love Cranberry Bliss Bars! I made the "fat" version last year and added chopped pistachios for taste and color. Do you know how much additional fat that would add?

    1. Avatar photo
      1st Time Mommy

      Mary, I think you can just google the nutrition information in pistachios and measure out and do the calculations of how much you are using in the recipe. Then add that on to the recipe totals Gina has listed above. If you are counting WW points use your WW calculator on your etools to figure out the new points plus values.

  186. These look fantastic but since it's just me and the hubby I know I'll be tempted to overindulge. How long will they keep in the fridge? Do you think they would be ok to freeze? Thanks for all the fabulous recipes. I've made at least two (sometimes as many as five) of your recipes since I found out about skinnytaste.com! I have finally been able to realize my goal of not only losing weight but truly adapting a healthy do-able eating style. Thanks Gina!

    1. Oops! I meant to say I've made at least 2 or sometimes 5 of your recipes PER WEEK since finding your site! Sorry!

    2. Angela- The ones at starbucks are frozen and they pull them out of the freezer the night before serving. So these should freeze fine too!

      Gina-
      You are my hero! Keep the wonderful recipes coming!! Thank you!!

      1. How long can I freeze them? I am planning to make it tomorrow and give them as a gift after a week? Thanks so much. I am excited to make these.

  187. I make these every year but hate how bad they are for me. I'm excited to try this version…my pants thank you!

  188. Avatar photo
    Amber Kleiman

    So excited to try your lightened up version of this. These are my all time favorite bars from Starbucks! Going out right now to get all of the ingredients…thanks for the recipe!

  189. I tried a cranberry bliss bar for the first time ever on Wednesday and I was immediately in love. I am SO excited to try these!

  190. Definitely trying these, possibly today! Thinking of trying a batch with dried cherries and mini dark chocolate chips too!

    1. The problem with coconut flour is that it absorbs a lot of moisture, so you would need to adjust for that. Almond flour would probably work or use a bit of both.

  191. People go nuts over these bars and I have never had one. Glad to know now if I do there will be a bit less indulgent one to have with all of the other treats in December.

  192. I was literally looking for a "light" version of this just yesterday 🙂 what a great morning surprise! Thanks Gina!!

  193. Very excited about this recipe!! I love cranberry bliss bars, but rarely allow myself the indulgence. Can't wait to try them!! 🙂

    1. Avatar photo
      Skinnytaste Gina

      It works but has a weird taste to me. My husband didn't like them at all with the whole wheat but completely up to you.

    2. My guess is to substitute half of the all purpose flour with half whole wheat pastry flour. I've done that with excellent results.

  194. What a fabulous recipe!! I've actually always avoided the Starbucks original version, but I can't wait to try yours. Going on my must make holiday list!

  195. Avatar photo
    Susan Brooks

    Could I use a pampered chef stone bar pan? Would it change the baking time? Thank you for this recipe!

    1. Have made these twice. Making a batch for Christmas Cantata tomorrow. My husband's and MY new favorite cookie/bar EVER! Love em'! Good to know they will freeze. I wondered.