Sourdough Discard Cranberry Bliss Bars

Sourdough Discard Cranberry Bliss Bars – a sourdough version of the popular Starbucks treat! These taste just like the original, and are easy to make right at home!

This is my latest obsession to make for the holiday season. They are fabulous for parties, gift-giving, and everything in between during the holidays.

I've gathered up even more holiday recipes for you!  I know you'll love my family's favorite Chocolate Pecan Pie with Sourdough Crust, Traditional Pumpkin Pie, Cranberry Orange Drop Cookies and Browned Butter Snickerdoodles!  

Keep reading to learn how to make these copycat Starbucks cranberry bliss bars!

Jump to:

• Ingredients for Cranberry Bliss Bars
• How to Make Sourdough Cranberry Bliss Bars
• Recipe
• Storage
• Helpful Tips
• More Popular Cranberry Recipes
• What's New on the Homestead
• Comments

Ingredients for Cranberry Bliss Bars

• Unsalted butter
• Sourdough discard - active sourdough starter is fine, too!
• All purpose flour
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Orange juice
• Vanilla extract - here's a tutorial for how to make vanilla extract if you want to try a high quality DIY version!
• Ground ginger
• Baking powder
• Salt
• White chocolate chips
• Dried cranberries
• Orange zest

Cream Cheese Frosting & Topping

• Cream cheese, softened
• Powdered sugar
• Orange juice
• Vanilla extract
• Dried cranberries
• White baking chocolate or almond bark

How to Make Sourdough Cranberry Bliss Bars

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper. This makes it super easy to lift the bars out for slicing later.
2. In a mixing bowl or electric mixer, beat together the melted butter and brown sugar on medium speed until well blended. Add the eggs, orange juice, and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth and creamy. Stir in the sourdough discard.
3. In a separate large bowl, whisk the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the blondie base is just combined.
4. Using a spatula, gently fold in the white chocolate chips and cranberries into the blondie batter. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top.
5. Pop it in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is just set. Don’t let them over bake—nobody wants hard bars! Cool the pan on a wire rack completely before frosting.
6. For the frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the orange extract and vanilla extract. Spread this over the cooled bars.
7. Sprinkle the top with chopped dried cranberries, then drizzle melted creamy white chocolate over everything. I like to dip a fork in the chocolate and gently wave it back and forth to create those pretty streaks. I always reserve a few extra cranberry pieces and fresh orange zest to decorate the top of the bars with a pop of color! If you want to add a few extra cranberries on top, just stick them down with more white chocolate drizzle!
8. You can slice the homemade cranberry bliss bars and dig in right away or chill the bars in the fridge for about an hour to firm up before cutting. For the classic look of the Starbucks version, cut into triangles and enjoy!

Recipe

Storage

Place the bliss bars in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They’ll last up to 5 days chilled. I recommend separating layers with parchment paper to keep the frosting from smudging. Chilling also helps the flavors meld and makes the bars firmer for easy slicing.

These white chocolate cranberry bars freeze like a dream! Here’s how to do it:

1. Chill the frosted bars in the fridge for at least an hour so the frosting sets.
2. Cut them into triangles or squares, depending on your preference.
3. Lay the individual bars in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm (about 1 hour).
4. Transfer the frozen bars to an airtight container or freezer bag, placing parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.

This perfect holiday treat will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw the bars in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Helpful Tips

• You can use either a 15x10 jelly roll pan for thinner bars or a 9x13 pan for thicker ones. I personally love the 9x13 version because it’s closer to the original Starbucks bars in size and texture. If you don’t have a 9x13 jelly roll pan, a regular 9x13 casserole dish works just fine—just watch the bake time as it might vary slightly.
• Don’t skip the parchment paper! Let it hang over the edges a bit to create "handles." This trick makes it so easy to lift the entire batch out of the pan for cleaner slicing.
• Don’t over bake! These bars should be just set in the middle with golden edges—keep an eye on them. I used the toothpick test to make sure mine were done in the center.
• Make sure the bars are completely cool before frosting; otherwise, you’ll end up with a melted mess.
• Refrigerating the frosted bars for an hour before slicing makes for cleaner cuts and helps them hold their shape better.

More Popular Cranberry Recipes

Have you ever made homemade cranberry juice? It's delicious! You'll also love cranberry orange scones, cranberry orange cookies and cranberry cheesecake bread!

What's New on the Homestead