blondies

Vegan Cranberry Bliss Bars

vegan cranberry bliss bar

I won’t even pretend I did not rush to Starbucks before we were vegan to grab one of their Holiday Cranberry Bliss Bars.

Back when we were vegetarian I eagerly awaited the holidays to get one of those delicious nutty, cranberry filled blondies topped with cream cheese frosting.

I never once thought to make my own until we were vegan, and it was no longer something I could stop in a grab.

Now I actually had to work for it. But I tell you what, these vegan cranberry bliss bars are worth the work, and actually not too much work at all.

I mean baking anything homemade is some work, but recreating a vegan version of a cranberry bliss bar isn’t rocket science or anything and as far as baked goods go, blondies are about as easy if not easier than a brownie!

vegan cranberry bliss bart 2

Whipping up a batch of vegan cream cheese frosting is easy enough so that actually makes these dangerous from a diet perspective. I mean when a baked good I love is TOO easy, then that means I am going to make the thing more than I should, and I need the pants I currently own to keep fitting…self control….I am working on it y’all, but man these things are good!

This recipe makes a 9x13 pan of vegan cranberry bliss bars so there are PLENTY to share or gift to those you love or just moderately like…I personally would reserve them for those you love and give those you just sorta like something less delicious. But you do what you want.

These bars keep pretty well, and are also kinda pretty, making them a good choice for holiday gifting.

So if you even know what these bars are and have been missing them since going vegan or plant based, your holidays maybe just got a little better. If you are clueless to what these are but love blondies, cranberries and cream cheese….then you will likely adore them as well.

vegan cranberry bliss bar 3

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 and 1/2 cups vegan butter (room temperature)

  • 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1/2 cup brown sugar

  • 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax and 6 tablespoons water mixed, let sit unit goopy)

  • 2 starch eggs (2 tablespoons corn or tapioca starch and 6 tablespoons water mixed)

  • 3 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/3 cup oat or almond milk

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

  • 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries

  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese

  • 1/3 cup vegan shortening (I used Spectrum brand)

  • 3 cups powdered sugar (you may need more depending on the cream cheese you use to get the right consistency)

  • zest from 1/2-1 whole orange ( just depends on how much orange you like)

  • 1-2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar (if you don’t want an extra zippy cream cheese you can use plant milk)

  • Dried Cranberries for topping

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a medium bowl using an electric hand mixer, mix the starch and flax eggs with both sugars.

  2. Add the butter and mix on high for a for a minute.

  3. In another bowl wisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together.

  4. Add the dry flour mixture to the wet mixture and mix just until all of the ingredients are combined

  5. Mix in the milk, and vanilla until well combined,

  6. Fold in the cranberries and nuts.

  7. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper allowing it to hang over the sides some, and spray with a little oil. Pour in the batter and bake on the middle oven rack for 45-55 minutes or until tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

  8. Remove from oven and allow bars to cool completely still in the pan.

  9. To make the frosting beat the cream cheese and shortening together. Slowly add in the sugar, vanilla, and orange zest. Add a teaspoon or so of apple cider vinegar deepening on taste. I like my frosting a little more on the tangy side. Beat all of the ingredients together. You may need to add a little more powdered sugar depending on the cream cheese you used. Some brands are thicker than others.

  10. While the bars are cool but still in the pan, cover with the vegan cream cheese frosting. Sprinkle with 1/4- 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries. Pop the pan in the fridge and let the frosting cool unit it is good and stiff. This will make cutting the bars much easier.

  11. Remove from the fridge pull the bars from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper.

  12. Cut vertical strips 2-3 inches apart depending on how big you want the bars, then cut the strips on a diagonal to make little triangle shapes.

  13. Store bars in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.

If you like this recipe, then try these:

cranberry bliss bar

cranberry bliss bar

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies

I will choose a vegan blondie over a vegan brownie every single time.

Don’t get me wrong, I love chocolate, love it, but I just feel like blondies are underrated and need more attention in this world.

I feel like everyone has a vegan brownie recipe. Except me. I don’t. Maybe one day I will, and that statement will be irrelevant. I don’t know. There are so many wonderful vegan brownie recipes out there, that I have never felt compelled to make my own.

Vegan blondies are another story all together. I love creating new variations of blondies and these vegan peanut butter and jelly blondies are easily a favorite.

Not just my favorite, but my kids, my husband, and anyone else I have ever shared them with!

They are gooey, chewy, buttery, and nutty. You can use any jam or jelly you or your family likes. I like raspberry. You can bake a big 9x13 pan or half the recipe and bake a smaller pan (but seriously, why would you do that?!?!?! they are too good for a half batch!) You can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter, but I prefer crunchy!

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies in a pan

I imagine, although I have not tired it, you could use sunflower butter as well if there is an allergy issue. I have baked SunButter cookies once for St. Patricks day because they turn green. The chlorophyll in the sunflower seeds reacts with the leavening and turns the baked good green. This is fun for St Patricks Day but maybe not everyday. So If you do use SunButter in this recipe and it looks like your blondies spent a little too much time at the pool this summer, don’t worry, they will still taste great. And if my chlorine/blonde/ green hair joke was lost on you, then you are one of the blessed few to never turned you hair green in middle school by swimming too much and not washing your hair enough.

Closeup of vegan peanut butter and jelly blondies

These vegan blondies are fun and delicious. They are also easy to make. So that can be dangerous! I suggest going ahead and making a full batch, though. Even if you don’t want them for yourself, you will earn some real big neighbor or friend points by sharing these tasty vegan peanut butter and jelly blondies!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purposes flour

  • 2 cups brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • pinch of salt ( the vegan butter is normally pretty salty)

  • 1 cup vegan butter, melted and cooled ( I used Earth Balance)

  • 1 and 1/4 cup peanut butter, divided ( creamy or crunchy work fine)

  • 3/4 cups any jelly you prefer, I used raspberry

  • 2 vegan egg replacers ( I used Bobs brand) or flax eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • Optional: chopped peanuts for the top. Coarse sea salt for the top.

*you can easily half this recipe and bake in an 8x8 pan instead for a 9x13 if you want a smaller batch of blondies

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  1. In a small microwave safe bowl, heat 1/2 cup of peanut butter for a minute or so, just until it has melted. In the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl if using a hand mixer, add the peanut butter, brown sugar, butter, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Mix until well combined.

  2. If using powdered egg replacer, mix according to package instructions. If using fax egg, mix 2 tablespoons ground flax with 6 tablespoons water. Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes until it has a jelly like texture. Add the egg replacers and vanilla to the above ingredients and mix until combined.

  3. Add the flour a little at a time and mix on low just until it’s all incorporated.

  4. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, allow some paper to hang over the edges. If you do not have parchment you can prepare the pan by lightly coating in oil or vegan butter and giving the pan a dust of flour and shaking out any excess.

  5. Add the batter to the pan evenly.

  6. In a small bowl add the remaining 3/4 cups peanut butter. In another small bowl add the jam or jelly. If they jam is thin and spreadable already, you will not need to heat it. If not, pop the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds or so. You just want it warm enough that it will spread easily. Do the same with the peanut butter. You just want it warm and spreadable, NOT melted!

  7. Dollop peanut butter and jelly, alternating between the two over the top of the batter. Using the edge of a butter knife, drag through the top of the dollops in a swirl motion to create a marbled effect. If you wish to sprinkle added chopped peanuts or sea salt to the top, do so now.

  8. Place the pan in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 45 mintures to one hour, or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.

  9. Allow the blondies to cool before cutting. Recipe yields 12 nice sized blondies. Store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.

Vegan Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies with Milk

If you like this recipe, then try these:

Vegan Maple Pecan Blondies

Vegan Maple Pecan Blondies

If given the option of a brownie or a blondie, I think I would choose a blondie every time. Especially a maple pecan blondie.

Maybe its all the butter, and the gooey, chewy center? I don’t know, I just love them.

Don’t get me wrong, I love brownies too, I just think that blondies don’t get enough attention!

Our daughter, Peyton, is the best blondie baker which works out well for my stomach! These Vegan Maple Pecan blondies are perfect for the fall holidays, and work well for potlucks and bake sales.

We baked these in an 8x8 pan and got some nice big blondies. You can just was easily bake them in a 9x13 pan, they just won’t be as thick, but you would certainly end up with more if you planned on sharing them!

If you are in the camp that always bakes brownies and never blondies, tis the season to show these underrated treats some love! I can't imagine you would be sad you did! And if for some reason you don’t love these blondies, just go ahead and mail them to me!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened

  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

  • 2 flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax, 6 tablespoons water)

  • 2 starch eggs (2 tablespoons starch, like tapioca, 6 tablespoons water)

  • 3 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or vanilla bean paste

  • 1 1/4 cups chopped pecans, divided

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  1. In a stand mixer, or large bowl if using a hand mixer, beat flax eggs, starch eggs, and sugar for a a few minutes.

  2. Whisk flour, salt and baking powder together in a separate bowl.

  3. Beat the butter into the sugar and “egg” mixture, then add the flour mix a little at a time while beating each addition in.

  4. Slowly beat in the maple syrup and vanilla, mixing just until combined.

  5. Fold in 1 cup of the pecans.

  6. Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper, or coat in vegan butter and a little flour. Shake the excess flour from the pan. Pour batter into the pan and top with the remaining 1/4 cup of pecans.

  7. Bake on the middle oven rack for 35-40 minutes ( bake time will depend on pan size) or until a tooth pick or skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and allow the blondies to cool completely before cutting.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Vegan Maple Pecan Blondies

Vegan Coconut Chocolate Blondie Skillet Sundae

A closeup of the ice cream on a Vegan Coconut Chocolate Blondie Skillet Sundae

I waited tables for years durning college at Chili's. You know “I want my baby back, baby back….” that Chili’s.

One of our most popular desserts at the time was something called the Paradise Pie. It was basically a chocolate coconut blondie in a cinnamon buttery skillet, topped with ice cream, caramel, and fudge sauce, sprinkled in chopped nuts.

How many of these did I eat over the years I worked there? I would honestly hate to know the real number. Lets just say A LOT, because they are addictive. My husband (who also spent some time waiting tables there) and I were talking about this glorious dessert the other day with our kids and decided it had to be veganized. They had to know the glory and wonder of this perfect dessert.

The 13 year old baking wonder had already perfected an amazing vegan blondie recipe, so I had her add coconut and chocolate chips and a graham cracker crust. The result was perfection and tasted just like I remembered it. Mind you it has been a gazillion years at least since I have had the real thing. We topped it with vanilla ice cream and our easy vegan caramel and fudge sauce recipes, and ate ourselves sick.

The kids were fans for sure, and my husband and I were more than excited!

If you have had a Paradise Pie, then you know! If not, then let me urge you to blow your diet on this! You might regret it a little, but will probably get over it pretty fast.

Also thanks Chili’s for helping me pay my rent through college and for all the friends I made working there, that I am still friends with to this day. Lets share a vegan Paradise Pie the next time we get together!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 cup melted vegan butter

  • 2 cups brown sugar

  • 2 egg replacers (powdered or flax egg)

  • 2 teaspoons vanila extract

  • 2 cups all purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 1/2 cup mini vegan chocolate chips

  • 1/3 cup shredded coconut

  • 1 sleeve graham crackers

  • 3 tablespoons melted butter

  • 1 batch vegan fudge sauce

  • 1 batch vegan caramel sauce

  • plant based vanilla ice cream

  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

  • 2 tablespoons butter mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon (for the skillet)

A bite of Vegan Coconut Chocolate Blondie Skillet Sundae on a spoon

A bite of Vegan Coconut Chocolate Blondie Skillet Sundae on a spoon

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

  1. Place graham crackers in a blender or food process and pulse until they are finely ground to a sandy consistency. Mix in the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Press the mixture into a 8x8 baking pan and bake for 10 minutes.

  2. While the crust is baking, mix the sugar with the melted butter, and vanilla. Mix in the flour and salt until well combined. Stir in the coconut and chocolate chips.

  3. Pour batter over the graham cracker crust and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour on the middle oven rack. The blondies will seem a little gooey and soft even once they are done, but will firm up once cooled.

  4. Allow blondies to cool before cutting.

  5. Place the butter and cinnamon mixture in an iron skillet. You can use a small casserole dish as well if you do not have a skillet. Pop the skillet into the oven and let the butter melt. Place 4-5 blondies in the skillet and pop back in the oven for about 5 minutes.

  6. Remove from oven and top with 3-4 scoops of ice cream, fudge sauce, caramel sauce, and chopped walnuts.

  7. Serves about 4. You can always add more blondies and more toppings to the skillet to serve more.

If you like this recipe, try these:

Nostalgic Vegan Ice Cream Cake ( Dairy Queen)

Vegan Southern Strawberry Shortcake

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