Firstly, let me start by saying that the Christmas season absolutely comes with indulgence, and I encourage you to do so! Family, friends, and good food begs a cherry on top…or 12. The Christmas Party circuit is an integral part of the holiday season and you should without a doubt take part, and have fun, without guilt. Now, if you’re anything like me, your Christmas season starts around November 2nd with the introduction of the Starbucks holiday menu. Once the season hits, I can’t help myself from hitting the nearest drive-thru and fueling up on a beautifully crafted beverage, complete with a sugary snack as well. When the infamous “Cranberry Bliss Bar” was introduced, I found myself returning to the drive-thru every afternoon at 3:00pm for approximately 2 months straight every year. I seriously couldn’t get enough of the sweet treat; however, after a few years, I began to wonder if I couldn’t tweak my afternoon favourite into a more “guilt free” version of itself. Now that I have these cranberry bliss bar dupes (skinny-style) I enjoy my favourite treat and much less guilt.
If you love the Cranberry Bliss Bar from Starbucks as much as I do, and you haven’t already found a “skinny” version that you’re satisfied with, I recommend you try mine!
I personally guarantee that you will enjoy and savour each bite of this recipe just as much as the real deal. As it’s also a “pretty” treat, I encourage you to serve this at your next holiday cocktail-party and/or get-together, paired with a white wine or a glass of champagne. Unlike most holiday delicacies, it’s a conversation starter, as almost everyone will ask you if “you picked it up from Starbucks?” to which, you can chuckle and reply “of course not…” (they won’t believe you).
Additionally, you can alter almost any part of this recipe to make it “your own” and I suggest it! Dried cranberries vs. fresh cranberries for example, will change the texture and taste, so don’t be afraid to change ingredients each time you try it.
Lastly, I will note that there are other variations of this recipe on the web and I have tried many. There are skinny-er versions of this recipe out there as well, but after trying many, this is what worked best for me, while still satisfying my sweet tooth.
Caution: Should you feel tempted to share these with your children, please be warned that adults metabolize all forms of sugar differently – your children will still be up until 11:00pm if you decide to share. The choice is yours.
Storage: I do not recommend refrigerating beyond 72 hours. If you have not devoured all bars within this time frame (you probably have), please freeze the remaining bars to retain freshness.
Cranberry Bliss Bar Dupes! (Skinny-style)
Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: Approximately 18 bars
Bars
- 1/2 tsp Baking soda
- 2/3 cup Brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground organic cinnamon
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted) (can use coconut oil instead)
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup unsweetened apple sauce
- ½ cup dried cranberries (can use fresh cranberries instead, diced)
- 2 large eggs (whites only)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp salt
Directions – Bars only
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat a baking pan with non-stick cooking spray
- Mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt – set aside
- In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, applesauce, egg whites, vanilla, and both types of sugar.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and beat together
- Fold in the cranberries (fresh or dried)
- Spread the dough into the pan, press down to ensure its smooth
- Bake for 15 minutes (slightly undercooked tastes better so if you’re unsure after 15 minutes, take them out, you won’t regret it!
Frosting
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup white baking chocolate (or white chocolate chips)
- ¼ cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 3 tbsp cranberries (dried)
- ½ cup low fat cream plain cream cheese
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions – Frosting
- In an electric mixer, beat together the powdered sugar, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cream cheese, vanilla extract, and half the white chocolate
- Frost the bars, sprinkling the dried cranberries on top and drizzling the remaining re-heated white chocolate on top
- Store in the fridge overnight
- Cut into square or triangle bars
- Et voila! Enjoy!
These Cranberry Bliss Bar Dupes are perfect for bringing along to any party. If you’re looking for some other recipes or hostess gift ideas, check out these.
