Gluten-Free Copycat Starbucks Bliss Bars
Make my Gluten-Free Copycat Starbucks Bliss Bars Recipe with almond flour, oat flour, and cashew butter. These chewy blondies are topped with a smooth cream cheese frosting, bright orange zest, and white chocolate drizzle. Perfect for the holidays or anytime, this recipe is healthier than the original and can easily be made vegan and dairy-free.
Why You’ll Love This Gluten-Free Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe
- Healthier ingredients: Made with almond flour, oat flour, and coconut sugar for a wholesome, gluten-free treat.
- Creamy frosting with a twist: A smooth cream cheese frosting with a touch of orange zest makes these bars extra special.
- Perfect for sharing: These bars make a great holiday gift or party treat, and they can easily be made vegan and dairy-free.
- Better than the original: All the flavor of Starbucks Bliss Bars, but with cleaner, all-natural ingredients!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here is everything you need to make the best-tasting gluten-free copycat Starbucks bliss bars:
Cashew Butter: You can substitute with almond butter, sunflower seed butter, peanut butter, unsalted butter, or dairy-free butter.
Maple Syrup: Replace with agave nectar, honey, or brown rice syrup.
Coconut Sugar: You can use brown sugar, maple sugar, or date sugar.
Almond Flour: You can use all oat flour instead.
Oat Flour: You can replace it with almond flour instead.
Orange Extract: You can omit or replace it with lemon juice for a delicious citrus flavor.
Egg: Substitute with 1 flax egg. Combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water (let it sit for a few minutes until it thickens).
Ground Ginger: You can omit or replace it with freshly grated ginger.
White Chocolate Chips: Use dairy-free white chocolate chips if you need them to be vegan.
Cream Cheese: Substitute dairy-free cream cheese for a vegan option or Greek yogurt.
Organic Powdered Sugar: You can use powdered coconut sugar or powdered erythritol, or make your own by blending regular sugar in a food processor until powdered.
Dried Cranberries: You can omit or replace them with raisins or any other dried fruit.
How to Make My Copycat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe
Step 1: Make the Bar Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange extract. Using a hand mixer or electric mixer, mix until well combined. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.
Add to your large bowl the dry ingredients, including almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger extract, and salt.
Mix until a thick, sticky batter forms.
Fold in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter.
Step 2: Spread and Bake the Bars
Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. You may need to push down on the parchment paper with your fingers to hold it in place while you spread the dough.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.
Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool. For best results remove the bars on the parchment paper and place them in the fridge or freezer to cool completely before frosting.
Step 3: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.
Melt 1/4 cup white chocolate chips in the microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and melted.
Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Hold back about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate. Mix the frosting until well combined.
Step 4: Assemble the Bars
Once the bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle additional dried cranberries or grated orange zest on top for decoration.
Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil to the remaining melted white chocolate. If the chocolate has hardened, heat the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds to melt the chocolate and the coconut oil. Stir until well combined and drizzle over the top of the bars.
Refrigerate the bars for at least 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set. Then cut and enjoy!
Gluten-Free Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe Notes
Parchment Paper Lining: It’s not required, but lining your 8×8″ pan with parchment paper will make it much easier to remove the bars from the pan.
Oat Flour: You can blend your own oat flour in your upright blender or Nutribullet using quick or old-fashioned oats. Simply add several cups of flour and blend.
Dough Consistency: The dough will be sticky. This allows for moist bars.
Cream Cheese Frosting: Adding the melted chocolate to the frosting will help it become more firm once chilled and set.
White Chocolate Drizzle: Adding the coconut oil to the white chocolate before drizzling will soften the white chocolate once it sets so that it doesn’t crack when you cut the bars.
Do you love cranberries? Here are a few more of my cranberry recipes I recommend:
- Cranberry Orange Dip with Cottage and Cream Cheese
- Gluten-Free Glazed Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Easy Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce with Honey
- Cranberry Orange Dip with Cottage and Cream Cheese
Gluten-Free Copycat Starbucks Bliss Bars Recipe
Ingredients
Bliss Bars:
- 1/2 cup cashew butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 1/8 teaspoon orange extract
- 1 egg
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup dried cranberries (mixed in bars)
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (mixed in bars)
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup white chocolate chips (melted and mixed in frosting and drizzled on top)
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries (sprinkled on top)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease or line a baking pan with parchment paper.In a large mixing bowl, combine the wet ingredients, including cashew butter, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, orange zest, and orange extract. Using a hand mixer or electric mixer, mix until well combined. Add the egg and mix until incorporated.Add to your large bowl the dry ingredients, including almond flour, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger extract, and salt.Mix until a thick, sticky batter forms.Fold in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips into the batter.
- Line an 8×8" baking pan with parchment paper. Lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking pan. You may need to push down on the parchment paper with your fingers to hold it in place while you spread the dough.Bake 12-14 minutes or until the edges are light golden brown.Place the pan on a cooling rack and allow the bars to cool. For best results remove the bars on the parchment paper and place them in the fridge or freezer to cool completely before frosting.
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.Melt 1/4 cup white chocolate chips in the microwave in 25-second intervals, stirring in between, until smooth and melted.Add the melted white chocolate to the cream cheese mixture. Hold back about 1 tablespoon of melted chocolate. Mix the frosting until well combined.
- Once the bars are completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Sprinkle additional dried cranberries or grated orange zest on top for decoration.Add 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil to the remaining melted white chocolate. If the chocolate has hardened, heat the bowl in the microwave for 15 seconds to melt the chocolate and the coconut oil. Stir until well combined and drizzle over the top of the bars.Refrigerate the bars for at least 1-2 hours to allow the frosting to set. Then cut and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe has been reviewed by a healthcare professional for its nutritional balance and alignment with healthy eating principles.
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