This delightful keto fall treat is reminiscent of the famous cranberry bliss bars sold at Starbucks with cranberries, hints of orange and ginger, and cream cheese icing. This easy recipe is low carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, sugar-free, and Trim Healthy Mama friendly.
This was one of the very first recipes I blogged back in January of 2016. I was blogging as a hobby and using my cell phone to takes pics of my creations. A few months later I broke out my DSLR and began using my photography background for real. I've been wanting to redo the photos of my cranberry bliss bars ever since.
Cranberries speak fall to me so as soon as September rolls around I begin craving these. Last fall I had a newborn so I never got a chance. A few days ago I decided to finally redo this past and a frantic cranberry hunt began. It took 4 stores until I found cranberries and even then I could only find frozen ones! I hope they'll be more readily available as we get closer to Thanksgiving.
Quoting myself from 2016:
They aren't an exact copycat because I didn't feel like ordering cocoa butter to make sugar free white chocolate chips or spending a day hovering over the oven to make sugar free dried cranberries. If you decide to give either a try google you can find recipes for both online from other blogs.
I, however, wanted these this morning. For breakfast. I'm not the most patient person in the world. Anyway, these are a soft bar flavored with your choice of ginger or orange (the Starbucks version uses ginger but I'm not a huge fan of it so I'm adding a variation to use orange extract instead of fresh ginger). They are studded with fresh cranberries and topped with a generous amount of cream cheese frosting.
Since then I have managed to make my own sugar free dried cranberries and sugar free white chocolate chips have become readily available. But I decided to keep these bars true to my original recipe and keep the white chocolate drizzle optional. It can be fussy and you really don't even miss it. The cream cheese icing is enough.
How to Make Cranberry Bliss Bars
These cranberry bliss bars are on the list of easy desserts. The dough can be made with a wooden spoon or in the food processor. I use my food processor to chop my cranberries so it makes sense to use it for the dough afterward. And then for the cream cheese icing after that.
And no I don't even bother to wash the bowl in between. Blogging has added to the amount of dishwashing I have to do since I have a large family. I take shortcuts whenever possible.
Unsweetened Dried Cranberries or Sugar-Free Dried Cranberries
These really can be hard to find. You can make your own at home by slowly drying the cranberries on your stovetop or in the oven or you can order them online. I came up with the stovetop method accidentally. I made sweetened dried cranberries when I was trying to make cranberry sauce. True story.
I completely forgot I put cranberries and sweetener in a saucepan on low to make cranberry sauce. I was in the basement with my daughter and we were trying to figure out why we were smelling popcorn. It suddenly dawned on me that we weren't smelling popcorn at all, we were smelling my cooking cranberries. I was afraid I burned my cranberry sauce but what I really did was dry out and glaze the berries at the same time.
I finally came back around to that recipe and created a blog post all about it! Check out my recipe for Sugar Free Dried Cranberries.
How to make the BEST cream cheese icing?
You've come to the right place. Cream cheese icing is my favorite thing ever. Or one of them. And I've tweaked my recipe over the years to make a perfect cream cheese icing. My tips are to use a powdered sweetener (granulated sweeteners make it gritty), to add a little butter, and to add a couple drops of lemon extract.
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Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon softened butter
- ⅓ cup Joy Filled Eats Sweetener (or see alternatives in recipe notes)
- 1 teaspoon molasses ***
- pinch salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ tsp orange extract
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup ground golden flax (or additional almond flour)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ginger optional
- 1 cup fresh cranberries or sugar free dried cranberries (if using fresh, finely chop by hand or in a food processor and toss with 2 tablespoon sweetener)
- ½ cup sugar free white chocolate chips optional
Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- ½ cup powdered sweetener
- 4 drops lemon extract
White Chocolate Drizzle:
- ½ cup sugar free white chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease an 8x8 baking pan.
- Cream together butter and sweetener. Add molasses, salt, eggs, and extracts. Mix thoroughly. Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Fold in the cranberries and white chocolate chips, if using.
- Spread in an 8x8 baking dish. Bake for 30-35 min. until golden brown. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together the cream cheese, butter, sweetener, and lemon extract until fluffy.
- Spread icing very gently on cooled bars. The bars can crumble if you aren't gentle. The best way to do this is to drop little blobs of icing on slightly warm bars and spread using an offset spatula. Top with chopped fresh cranberries mixed with sweetener or dried cranberries.
- Refrigerate until cold and cut into squares.
Optional - White Chocolate Drizzle:
- When I made this recipe sugar free white chocolate was not readily available. Now that it is, feel free to melt some and drizzle on top!
Notes
Nutrition
Originally published January 12, 2016. Revised and republished September 21, 2018.
Jo says
Want to make these ahead of Christmas Day.....I am assuming that they will freeze well??
Christina Zimmerman says
Is there a reason you switched to the 8x8 pan? Just curious 🙂
Taryn says
Not really. I did have a thought about thicker icing. I love cream cheese icing. But, either size works. 😀
Christina says
Haha... I’m with you in the icing! Thanks for responding and have an awesome Christmas! ❤️
Marla says
Mine is in the oven now! The dough tastes good so I am sure the final product will also taste good. I subbed Swerve for all sweeteners since that is what I have on hand. I thank you for your break down of the baking mix because I happen to have all those on hand. This is my first time in ever using fresh cranberries and I'm tickled it is THIS recipe! About the only thing I like from Starbucks is this treat and I would allow myself one piece a year before Keto. Now I will have a whole pan to myself... or to share!
Mary Beth says
I just ordered the unsweetened dried cranberries. I want to make these for Christmas! They look delicious. Do I reconstitute the cranberries before adding to batter and do I sweeten them? Thanks for any more info.
Taryn says
It's up to you. You can just add them as is or you can reconstitute. As is they will be a little chewy. They will be softer if you soak them first. You shouldn't need to sweeten them since the cake and icing are pretty sweet. The tartness is a nice contrast.
Mary Beth says
Thanks, Taryn!
Jo says
So...can fresh cranberries be used in the batter instead of dried?
Taryn says
Yes. Chop them and toss with sweetener before adding.
Rebecca says
Could I make with all coconut flour... I am allergic to tree nuts
Taryn says
It's not a 1:1 sub. I'd suggest using sunflower seed flour instead. That behaves more like almond flour when baking. I'm not sure all coconut flour would work.
Julie says
I have learned to make some very "satisfying" desserts since the family went keto 3 months ago. But this is the favorite so far and the most "decadent" feeling. I ran out of time and skipped the cranberry topping recently and they are still delish. Thank you.
Taryn says
Thank you, Julie! I'm so glad you enjoyed them 🙂
Lorelei says
You mentioned the dried cranberries with a link to purchase, but then in the recipe it says 1 cup of cranberries with stevia. If I were to buy the dried, would I still use the same amount (1 cup)?
Taryn says
Yup! Hope you like them.
Kim says
This is AMAZING!
Teena V says
Any tip to make these nut free?
Taryn says
I've seen sunflower seed flour used instead of almond flour a lot recently. I have not tested it in this recipe but I think it would work.
Lisa says
I have been keto for a little over 2 months now and I am so thrilled to find this recipe! The Starbucks version is always a craving for me every fall. Thank you so much for sharing this & all your recipes. ❤️
Holly says
Best thm dessert ever !!!! Thank you !
Debbie says
Would using THM Baking Blend work in place of your blend? I do not have the separate flours but do have Baking Blend? Would it be the same measurement?
Taryn says
Yes, bb should work in this recipe. You can use the same amount.
Kathleen says
I have not yet tried these but I will. Since I will be making them for a large gathering I will try doing individual crusts in square mini muffin pans with parchment cup liners. That way there will be less waste due to crumbling and they can be served in the baking cups which makes it better for hygiene. Thank's for the recipe.
Melissa says
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
I made it this week, adding a handful of pecans to the dough, it is delicious! Even my husband said it was good 🙂
I was skeptical on the size of the pan, compared to the small amount of dough, but they are perfect!
Kathy says
I made these for lunch today. Husband's response....These are new new favorite THM sweet!!! Score!!!!
Cindy says
This seems to be too little batter to spread into a 9x13 dish. My original recipe had 2 1/4 cups of flour for the same size dish. Am I missing something?
Taryn says
These are about the thickness of a cookie. If you want them to be thicker you can bake it in an 8x8 baking dish.
Jennifer says
I can't find xylitol, what else can be used?
Taryn says
This chart might be helpful: http://www.trimhealthymama.com/main-home/sweetener-conversion-chart/
Kimberly says
Just wanted to be certain of the amount of baking mix ? Is it supposed to be 3/4 cup -- or 3/4 of the total amount?
Thanks!!
Taryn says
3/4 cup
Shannan speer says
This sounds so yummy!! I am so wanting to make these tomorrow! I was wondering if I could use THM baking blend instead of your mix? I jave some on hand that's why I ask! Thanks!!
Taryn says
Yes, it should substitute fine.