White Chocolate Cranberry Bars

A combination of dried cranberries and white chocolate makes a perfect treat for the holidays. These white chocolate cranberry bars are a unique twist on the classic white chocolate cranberry cookie recipe that is tangy and delicious.

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Indulge in the delightful fusion of creamy white chocolate and tangy cranberries with our White Chocolate Cranberry Bars. Each bite offers a perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, with the velvety smoothness of white chocolate complementing the chewy, slightly tart cranberries.

These bars are a perfect treat for any occasion, from holiday gatherings to everyday snacking. Their rich flavor and appealing texture make them a crowd favorite, bringing a touch of elegance and festivity to your dessert table. Enjoy them with a cup of coffee or tea for a truly satisfying experience.

Why make these bars

• These cookie bars have a soft and chewy texture, with a wonderful flavor of tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate. They are similar to my white chocolate cranberry cookies. By the way, you can also make chocolate chip cranberry cookies.
• I am using a stand mixer (hand mixer), but you can use a large bowl and whisk as well. 
• And most of the ingredients are simple pantry staples or easy to find.
• Also, these can be made in just about 30 minutes from start to finish.  
• This is a kids’ favorite bar, so make sure to double the recipe.
• In addition, they make perfect Christmas gifts to give family and friends during the holiday season. Once baked and cooled completely, just wrap them in plastic and tie a pretty bow.

Ingredients and substitutions

• All-purpose flour – I use regular all-purpose flour with baking soda and salt. Baking soda gives it that wonderful light texture. 
• Cornstarch – Also known as cornflour, adds a nice crisp to the cookies.
• Chocolate – I like the combination of chocolate with cranberries. Especially because cranberries are tart, the white chocolate adds a nice depth of flavor. In addition, I prefer to use white chocolate chips instead of white baking chocolate. 
• Sugar – The light brown sugar keeps them soft, but the white sugar makes them crisp, giving this cookie a perfect texture.
• Butter – Use unsalted, room-temperature butter so you can control the amount of salt in the recipe. 
• Spices – You can use cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, or gingerbread spice. Today, I am not using any spices. 
• Chocolate – I am using bittersweet chocolate chips, but you can also use white chocolate chips or a chopped chocolate bar.
• Vanilla – You can use vanilla extract, bean paste, or vanilla sugar.

Step-by-step: How to make white chocolate cranberry bars

• Oven and Pan – Preheat the oven to 350°F / 177°C / Gas Mark 4. Line a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper.
  Pro tip – Line the pan with parchment paper and leave an overhang so you can pick the bars out. That way, you can cut squares with neat edges.

• Dry ingredients – Combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.
• Wet Ingredients – In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, on medium speed, cream together the butter with both brown and white sugar until light and fluffy.
  Then, add the eggs one at a time into the creamed sugar mixture, and then the vanilla extract.
  Next, add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, but do not overmix.
  Pro tip – We do not want to activate the gluten in our dough, so do not overmix.
• Additions – Finally, add the white chocolate chips and dried cranberries.
  Pro tip – This cookie dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

• Pan – Transfer the dough to the prepared pan and spread it with an offset spatula. Sprinkle some more dried cranberries and white chocolate on top.

• Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the center looks set but still slightly soft. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter.
• Cool completely in the pan for at least 20 minutes before lifting out and slicing. Use a sharp bread knife to cut into 16 squares (as shown in the video).

Variations – White chocolate cranberry bars

• Orange – Add a teaspoon of orange zest and 1/4 tsp of orange extract to give the bars an orange flavor. 
• Cream cheese – Frost the bars with a cream cheese frosting once baked and cooled. 
• Chocolate – Drizzle some melted white chocolate over the bars once baked and cooked.

Tips for success

• Always have all the ingredients at room temperature so the butter and sugar can cream until light and fluffy. 
• Preheat the oven for a good 15 minutes, making sure the oven is at the right temperature. A cold oven will melt and make very flat bars.
• When baked, leave the bars in the baking pan for 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. This will prevent them from sweating on the bottom. 
• Bake Ahead and Freezing Instructions
  • Dough – You can freeze the dough for a month, wrapped well in a ziplock bag. Then, thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.
  • Baked bars – Alternatively, freeze the baked bars between parchment papers for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to use.

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Frequently asked questions

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