Name: Sourdough Cranberry Bliss Bars
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 35 min
Ingredients: 10 (140g) tbsp unsalted butter (melted); ¾ (150g) cup brown sugar; ¼ (50g) cup white granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 egg yolk; ⅓ (80g) cup sourdough discard; 1 tsp vanilla; ½ tsp orange extract; 2 tsp orange zest; 1 ½ (180g) cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp cornstarch; ½ tsp salt; ¾ tsp ginger; ¼ tsp cinnamon; 1 (120g) cup cranberries; 1 (150g) cup white chocolate chips; 8 (226g) oz cream cheese (softened); 2 (30g) tbsp butter (softened); 1 1/2 (180g) cups powdered sugar; ½ tsp vanilla; 1/8 tsp salt; ½ tsp orange extract; 2 tsp orange zest; 1/2 (60g) cup chopped cranberries; 1/2 (85g) cup white chocolate chips

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Soft, chewy, and perfectly festive, these Sourdough Cranberry Bliss Bars taste like the holiday Starbucks classic but so much better. The blondie base is rich with brown sugar, real orange zest, warm winter spices, and creamy white chocolate. Sourdough discard adds moisture and chew, giving these bars that irresistible “bakery texture” while staying incredibly easy to make. Finished with a silky cream cheese frosting, chopped cranberries, and a white chocolate drizzle, these bars are a guaranteed December favorite for parties, cookie boxes, and gifting.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe:

Bakery-style texture- this blondie has the perfect chew you expect, thanks to the melted butter and sugar.
Lots of orange flavor– This recipe packs tons of bright citrus that compliments the cranberry and white chocolate perfectly. The secret is the orange extract, don’t skip it.
A great way to use up discard– Have discard sitting in the frig? I got you. You can also let this blondie rest overnight in the frig for extra fermentation benefits!
Easy to make- this recipe is easy to whip up and easy to clean.

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Tools You’ll Need:

9×13-inch baking pan- I love this pan from USA Bakeware linked here.
Parchment paper- to line pan to avoid burning and for a clean release. Don’t skip this!
Measuring cups and spoons– for measuring ingredients.
Mixing bowls- for batter and cream cheese frosting.
Whisk + spatula- to mix ingredients and spread batter and frosting.
Hand mixer- for whipping the frosting.
Kitchen scale (optional)– for precise measurements.
Frosting knife (optional)- to spread icing.
Microplane or zester- for zesting oranges. I love this zester linked here.
Ziplock or pastry bag- for drizzling white chocolate.

Gather your Ingredients:

Unsalted butter – Adds richness and soft crumb texture to the blondie.
Eggs and egg yolk – Provides structure and helps bind the blondie.
Sourdough discard– Adds flavor and moisture and is the magic that ferments your batter if desired. Can use starter/discard that is past peak or straight from the fridge.
White Granulated Sugar- Sweetens and helps give blondie that crackly top and crisp edge.
Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and caramel notes to blondie.
Vanilla extract – Adds depth of flavor.
Cornstarch – helps to soften the crumb and prevent sinking in the center of the blondie.
All-purpose flour – Provides structure and lift to the batter. You can substitute bread flour but I like the softness all-purpose gives the blondie. .
Baking powder – Helps with lift and rise without too much doming in the center.
Sea salt – Enhances overall flavor.
Ground Cinnamon and Ginger – adds warmth and spice to the batter, giving these bars that signature flavor.
Orange Extract- this is the key to getting a strong and bright citrus flavor. I like this extract linked here.
Orange Zest- this really helps bring out the orange extract, and if you don’t have orange extract you can substitute for additional orange zest the flavor just may not be as strong.
Dried Sweetened Cranberries- any dried sweetened cranberries or craisins work, just make sure they’re sweetened! I don’t recommend fresh or freeze dried for this recipe.
White Chocolate- I like to use chips, but you could also use chunks depending on your preference.
Cream cheese– Creates a creamy, tangy frosting we know and love to top the blondies..
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the glaze. Do not use granulated sugar in the glaze or it will be grainy.

Now let’s bake Sourdough Cranberry Bliss Bars!

Instructions

Step 1: Mix the blondie base

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment, leaving overhang. Don’t skip this step, it’ll make removing the bars so much easier.

In a microwave safe bowl or a small pot, melt your butter and whisk until smooth. Transfer to your mixing bowl.

Next, add the brown sugar and white sugar to the butter- whisking to melt them together until the mixture is glossy.

Add the eggs, egg yolk, sourdough discard, vanilla, orange zest, and orange extract to the bowl and whisk until smooth.

Measure your flour, baking powder, cornstarch, salt, ginger, and cinnamon into the wet ingredients, and combine until the dry ingredients are just mixed in and streaks don’t remain. Don’t overmix at this stage, or the bars will be tough.

Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate into the blondie batter gently, then spread the batter into the prepared pan evenly.

Fold in cranberries and white chocolate — Mix dry ingredients into batter gently

Optional Overnight Fermentation: if you want to let this batter rest to have the sourdough discard work it’s magic, cover the blondie in the pan with plastic and transfer to the refrigerator overnight and bake the next day.

Bake the bar for 30-35 minutes, the edges should be browning and the center matte not shiny. Internal temperature of the center when done should be 195-200 F. Remove the pan from the oven as soon as the bar is done, and allow to cool completely before proceeding with frosting the bars.

Step 2: Frost the bars

Make sure your cream cheese and butter are room temperature before mixing the frosting.

In a bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Whip on high with hand beaters until smooth and light.

Add the vanilla, orange extract, orange zest, and salt to the frosting. Beat to mix in the ingredients for 30 seconds.

Lastly, add the powdered sugar to the frosting and combine on low to incorporate for a minute then increase the speed to high and whip the frosting for a minute until it’s fluffy and creamy.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt your white chocolate chips in 30 second intervals in the microwave until just melted. If needed, you can add a little coconut oil to thin the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate to a ziplock or pastry bag for later.

Spread the orange cream cheese frosting evenly over your cooled bars, making sure to meet the edges.

Chop more cranberries into pieces, and sprinkle over the top of the bars.

Snipping off a small piece of the corner of your Ziplock or the pastry bag, drizzle the top of the bars in circular motions with the white chocolate. If you don’t have a pastry bag, you can also use a whisk to drizzle the chocolate.

Frost and top the bars with cranberries and white chocolate

Allow the white chocolate to set, then cut the bars into 12 even squares (4 rows across and 3 top to bottom). If you want them to look like the classic Cranberry Bliss Bars, cut each of the squares in half to form rectangles.

Enjoy!

Yields 24 bars

Storage Tips:

Refrigerating- Store bars in an airtight container up to five days in the refrigerator.

FAQ’S:

Does the sourdough discard make these sour?

No, discard simply adds moisture and chew.

Can I use fresh cranberries?

No, dried cranberries are essential for classic bliss bar texture.

What can I use in place of orange extract?

Replace the orange extract with more orange zest if you can’t find orange extract. The flavor may not be quite as strong with orange though!

If you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to leave a star review and a comment and check out more of my cranberry orange sourdough recipes like my Sourdough Cranberry Orange Crumble Muffins!