Name: White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (2 sticks or 226g) unsalted butter; 1 cup (200g) brown sugar; ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon orange zest; 2 large eggs (at room temperature); 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 2 cups (260g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 4 oz white chocolate bar (chopped); ¾ cup (120g) sweetened dried cranberries

JUMP TO RECIPE

If you’re a fan of the cranberry bliss bars from Starbucks, you’re going to love these White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies. They have all the flavors of those classic Christmas treats but can be made right at home. And there’s no need for a thick layer of icing – these blondies stand all on their own. A buttery, chewy cookie base infused with orange zest and flecked with chunks of sweet white chocolate and tart, dried cranberries. These make the perfect winter treat that you’ll be craving all year long!

Blondies

These are one of my all-time favorite desserts, to make and to eat. Blondies come together quickly – you don’t even have to worry about softening your butter with my recipe, which is honestly always a win for me. And what’s not to love about a bar that bakes up like a soft, chewy cookie, without the hassle of scooping or portioning?! I started with my original Brown Butter Blondie Bar recipe and made a few tweaks, including increasing the amount of batter for a slightly thicker bar. I also baked these up in a 9” x 9” pan, as opposed to my standard 8” x 8” pan. I found this helped the additional batter bake through in the middle while still creating a nice thick and chewy texture. Be sure to check out my other blondie recipes like my S’mores Blondies and Oatmeal Butterscotch Blondies.

How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

Chop the white chocolate and cranberries. Chopping your chocolate will give you a nice variety of chocolate chunks. If you like big chunks of cranberries you can leave them whole but I like to have smaller pieces so they get evenly disbursed throughout the batter.
Mix the batter. The blondie batter starts by mixing the melted butter and brown sugar together. Rub the orange zest and granulated sugar together then mix it in. Follow that with the eggs and vanilla and mix those in well. Next, you’ll add your dry ingredients and mix until only a few streaks of flour remain. Then fold in the chopped white chocolate and cranberries.
Add the batter to the pan. A 9” x 9” square baking pan seems to be the perfect size for this amount of batter (see notes below for size variations). Spray your pan with a little bit of non-stick spray and line it with parchment to create a sling, that will make pulling the blondies out of the pan much easier.
Bake the blondies. Bake the blondies at 350°F for 30-35 minutes. They should be golden brown on top and the center should be set. You want them a bit fudgy and moist like a brownie so be sure not to overbake them.
‍
Cool, cut, and enjoy! I like to let my blondies cool completely to room temperature before cutting and eating, so they set up and become perfectly chewy. You’ll get 16 nice even squares when using a 9” x 9” pan. Cut them up and dive in!

Tips for the Best White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies

Use a chocolate bar instead of chips. Chocolate chips definitely have their place but for this recipe, I prefer to chop up a bar of white chocolate bar instead. Chocolate bars tend to be a little higher quality and have a deeper flavor than chocolate chips. I also love having a variety of sizes of chocolate pieces in each bite.
Chop the cranberries. I use sweetened dried cranberries for these blondies and find that they come in big clumps so I like to chop these up. This way the cranberries disperse throughout the batter more evenly and you get a sweet, tart piece in every bite. If you like the bigger chunks though, just leave them whole!
Don’t skip the orange zest. The hint of orange in these blondies compliments the tart cranberries and sweet white chocolate so well. Rubbing the orange zest into the granulated sugar before mixing it with the other ingredients helps the zest release the oils for an even better flavor.

White Chocolate Cranberry Blondie FAQs

Can I use a different type of chocolate?

I love how the sweetness of the white chocolate compliments the tart cranberries and the hint of orange but dark or milk chocolate would also work well with these flavors if you’re not a white chocolate lover. Dark chocolate will give you a less sweet blondie while the milk will add more sweetness.

Will a different size pan work?

Yes, just keep in mind that the size pan you use will affect the thickness of the blondies and the baking time. An 8” x 8” square pan will create a thicker blondie and will need additional time in the oven, while a 13” x 9” pan will produce a thinner blondie and you’ll want to reduce the baking time.

How should I store the blondies?

These can be stored at room temperature and should be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag, for up to 3 days. They freeze well too!

More Cookies & Bars You’ll Love

Lastly, if you make this recipe, be sure to leave a comment below and tag @sweetkitchencravings on Instagram or TikTok. Or if Pinterest is more your style, you can save my recipes to your collection there. Happy baking!