I think this might be my favourite thing I’ve ever done.
~Michael Buble
I wanted to call these Michael Buble Bliss Bars (because what’s more blissy than Michael Buble’s Christmas CD?) but I figured there might be issues.
Whatever you call them, these are Bliss Bars all dressed up for the holidays – cranberries, white chocolate, spices and a hint of orange cozy together under a blanket of cream cheese frosting.
Bake up a batch of these to share. (If you know Michael Buble, share them with him.)
You’ll be happy you did.
Merry Christmas.
Gingerbread Bliss Bars
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
These Bliss Bars are all dressed up for the holidays. Cranberries and white chocolate are joined by traditional gingerbread spices to make a terrific holiday treat.
Servings: 24 bars
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml butter melted
- 3/4 cup / 187.5 ml brown sugar
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml molasses
- 2 teaspoons / 10 ml orange zest
- 1 egg
- 2 cups / 500 ml all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon / 5 ml baking soda
- 2 teaspoons / 10 ml cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon / 5 ml ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon / 1.25 ml cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon / 1.25 ml nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon / 1.25 ml ground pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon / 2.5 ml salt
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml dried cranberries chopped (reserve 2 tablespoons / 30 ml for sprinkling on top of frosting)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml white chocolate chips chopped up slightly to make into smaller pieces
- 4 ounces / 125 g cream cheese 1/2 of a regular package
- 1/4 cup / 60 ml butter softened
- 2 cups / 500 ml icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon / 5 ml orange zest
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F / 176 degrees C.
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Grease a 9x13-inch / 23x33 cm pan.
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In mixing bowl, stir together butter and brown and granulated sugar until thoroughly mixed.
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Beat in orange rind, molasses and egg until smooth.
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In separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, pepper and salt.
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Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir together. When the flour is almost completely incorporated, add the cranberries and white chocolate and mix gently until they are evenly distributed.
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Spread dough into prepared pan.
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Bake for 15-20 minutes. Do not overbake. The bars should not be hard. They will be very dense.
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Remove from the oven and let pan cool on a wire rack.
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The center of the bars will drop as they cool, leaving the edges higher. You can trim these off, if you prefer, or leave them.
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While the bars are baking, beat together the cream cheese and butter until thoroughly blended. Add the icing sugar and orange zest and beat until smooth.
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When bars are completely cool, frost with the prepared icing.
I just made these today and they are absolutely Devine.
I will definitely keep this in my holiday baking box.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
I’m so glad you like them! This is one of my favorite holiday recipes 🙂 Thanks for stopping by 🙂 Best wishes for 2021.
Love these! And love Michael Buble too! His Christmas album has to be my favourite one ever! These bars are gorgeous , love the cranberry/gingerbread combo!
Thanks for stopping by 🙂 I love cranberry and gingerbread, too – these bars are my favorite gingerbread treat 🙂 Merry Christmas!
I don’t know Michael, but I’d happily eat these bliss bars while listening to his Christmas album and sipping champagne in front of the fireplace. Pure bliss!
That sounds very good! I wish I had a fireplace 🙂 Merry Christmas 🙂
Yum – these look delicious! I’ve never had this but this combination looks hard to resist. Michael Buble’s, Christmas CD is also my fave 😉
Michael Buble is great, isn’t he? Him and Bing Crosby at Christmas – can’t be beat 🙂 If you like gingerbread, you’ll like these bars. Have a wonderful Christmas!
I LOVE Cranberry Bliss bars….so these sound awesome….since I happen to LOVE gingerbread too!!
These go great with some Starbucks Christmas blend (which I’m hoping is in my stocking 🙂 ). Have a great Christmas 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
What’s more Christmassy that Michael Buble Christmas albums, gingerbread, and cranberry bliss bars? Nothing! I love this – it’s such a great idea
Thanks 🙂 I’ve got Buble on now – I love his version of Feliz Navidad 🙂 This is one of my favorite Christmas recipes – who needs Starbucks? Merry Christmas!
I love gingerbread and Michael Buble! These look really scrumptious!
Michael Buble’s Christmas album is the first thing on the playlist during the holidays :). Have a great Christmas – thanks for stopping by 🙂
These just scream Christmas… who can say no to cream cheese frosting?! I am obsessed with everything gingerbread at the moment. Love this!
I think these are my favorite Christmas treat, and I’m with you on the cream cheese frosting :). I love everything gingerbread (except for gingerbread cookies!) Merry Christmas 🙂