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