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!
Equipment
- 9X13 pan
- mixing bowl or stand mixer
- measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
Bar cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 1½ cups brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sourdough starter discard
- 1⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Frosting & Toppings
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries coarsely chopped
- 2 ounces white baking chocolate or almond bark, melted
Instructions
- 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.
- 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.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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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!
- 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!
Notes
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.
- Make sure the bars are completely cool before frosting; otherwise, you’ll end up with a melty mess.
- Refrigerating the frosted bars for an hour before slicing makes for cleaner cuts and helps them hold their shape better.
Nutrition
Serving: 1barCalories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 3gFat: 15gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 132mgPotassium: 93mgFiber: 1gSugar: 40gVitamin A: 373IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 1mg
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