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Starbucks may only sell their Cranberry Bliss Bars seasonally, but now you can enjoy all of the same flavors in a Cranberry Bliss Cookie, year round!
Cranberry Bliss Cookies
Last year, I tasted the majesty of the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars and I instantly knew why they were so popular. The marriage of white chocolate, orange, and cranberry is just IT. So, I did what I do, and I made a copycat recipe for the bars. But I couldn’t just leave it there! So this year, I’m spreading the bliss out and turning the treat into a cookie, too.
You can expect a super chewy blondie-style cookie, loaded with orange zest, dried cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Then, it’s topped off with a luscious cream cheese frosting and more of the goodies found inside the cookie. It’s beyond worth the hype.
Ingredients
*Find instructions and exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Salted butter, softened – I use salted butter! You can substitute with unsalted butter and add an extra pinch of salt to the dough, if preferred.
- Brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Orange zest – This works SO well with the white chocolate and cranberries in these bars.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract – The vanilla will bring out all of the other flavors in this delicious bar!
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Dry ginger powder – Ginger adds a subtle warmth to the bars! You could swap for cinnamon, but Starbucks says to use Ginger, so we use Ginger.
- White chocolate chips – I’m begging you to use high quality chocolate here. I like to use Ghirardelli white chocolate chips. You can even chop up a white chocolate bar!
- Dried cranberries (craisins)
Frosting + Toppings
- Cream cheese, softened – You’ll want this room temperature.
- Salted butter, softened – Again, I used salted butter but unsalted also works!
- Powdered sugar
- Orange zest
- Dried cranberries (craisins), chopped
- White chocolate chips, melted – Melt in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until smooth.
How to Make Starbucks Bliss Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest until light in color and fluffy in texture.
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the egg, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Mix until a soft dough forms.
- Add the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and mix until distributed throughout the dough.
- Portion out the cookie dough using a #12 cookie scoop (approximately 1/3 cup) and arrange 6 scoops on your prepared baking sheet. Flatten the cookie dough slightly prior to baking.
- Bake at 350° F for 12-15 minutes until no longer glossy on top.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting by combining the cream cheese and butter until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until a smooth, spreadable frosting is achieved.
- Once the cookies are cool, spread frosting on each cookie and top with a few dried cranberries and sprinkling of zest.
- Drizzle with melted white chocolate and serve!
- Store in an airtight container either in the fridge or on the counter. Best enjoyed within 3 days.
How should I store Cranberry Bliss Cookies
Once these cookies are cooled completely, store in an airtight container in either the fridge or on the counter. These are best enjoyed within 5 days?
Can Starbucks Cookies be frozen?
You betcha they can! I would place all assembled and cool cookies onto a cookie sheet. Place the entire cookie sheet into the freezer and ‘flash freeze’ until they start to harden slightly and frosting is set. Move the cookies to a ziptop bag or airtight container, with parchment between layers of cookies. Freeze for up to 3 months!
Karli’s Kitchen Faves
Here are a few of my favorite kitchen tools that I used to make this recipe!
- Kitchenaid Mixer – I really love this thing. It’s not necessary for making good cookies, but I love the size of the bowl and the power. A Hand Mixer or a bowl + spoon will also work!
- Cookie Sheet – These cookie sheets have put in WORK in my kitchen. If you’re looking for a brand that will stand the test of time (and cookies), this is my recommendation.
- Silicone baking mat – I love using this or parchment paper to line my cookie sheets to make it easy-peasy to get cookies off of the pan without sticking.
- Offset spatula – I love using an offset spatula to frost cookies because it’s so much easier to get the perfect swirl on top without getting extra frosting on the side of your hand.
- Cookie scoop set – These are sturdy and won’t break when it, you know, scoops dough. I love these for making pretty + even cookies. For these cookies, I used a #12 scoop.
Unconventional Christmas Cookies
Cranberry Bliss Cookies
Based on Starbucks' Bliss Bar, these Cranberry Bliss cookies are super chewy blondie-style cookies, loaded with orange zest, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips and topped off with a luscious cream cheese frosting!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (333g) salted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups (369g) brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp orange zest
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 1/4 cups (646g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
- 1 cup (200g) white chocolate chips
- 1 cup (130g) dried cranberries (craisins)
Frosting + Toppings
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, softened
- 4 cups (428g) powdered sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1 cup (130g) dried cranberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup (100g) white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with either parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and orange zest until light in color and fluffy in texture.1 1/2 cups (333g) salted butter, softened, 1 1/2 cups (369g) brown sugar, 1/2 cup (115g) granulated sugar, 2 tsp orange zest
- Scrape the sides of the bowl and add in the eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.2 eggs, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ginger. Mix until a soft dough forms.4 1/4 cups (646g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp dry ginger powder
- Add the dried cranberries and white chocolate chips and mix until distributed throughout the dough.1 cup (200g) white chocolate chips, 1 cup (130g) dried cranberries (craisins)
- Portion out the cookie dough using a #12 cookie scoop (approximately 1/3 cup) and arrange 6 scoops on your prepared baking sheet. Flatten the cookie dough slightly prior to baking.
- Bake at 350° F for 12-15 minutes until no longer glossy on top.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the pan.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting by combining the cream cheese and butter until smooth.8 oz cream cheese, softened , 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter, softened
- Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing until a smooth, spreadable frosting is achieved.4 cups (428g) powdered sugar
- Once the cookies are cool, spread frosting on each cookie and top with a few dried cranberries and sprinkling of zest.1 tsp orange zest, 1 cup (130g) dried cranberries, chopped
- Drizzle with melted white chocolate and serve!1/2 cup (100g) white chocolate chips
- Store in an airtight container either in the fridge or on the counter. Best enjoyed within 3 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 496kcal | Carbohydrates: 74g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 378mg | Potassium: 122mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 53g | Vitamin A: 525IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!
Holy crap.
I saw you making these on Instagram, and even though I’ve never had a cranberry bliss bar at Starbucks, I knew I had to make them.
These were AMAZING!! Thank you so much. I need to try a cranberry bliss bar now haha!
100% recommend making!!! They were amazing! Contemplating playing around with other dried fruits for summer!
Just to clarify, you are adding dry ginger powder and not fresh ginger, correct?
Yes, dry ginger powder!
Cookie dough was easy to make. Allow yourself more time for baking overall since 6 at a time takes more pans.
Really enjoyed these without the frosting as well.