This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission. Please read our disclosure policy.
Why I Love These Cranberry Blondies
Growing up, we always loved to make Christmas cookies in the weeks leading up to the holidays. And while the iconic circular shape of a cookie is wonderful, we made quite a few bar recipes as well, namely blondies. So what could be better than amping up a traditional blondie with the flavors of the season?
These cranberry blondies are covered with an orange-and-white-chocolate cream cheese frosting, making a festive dessert you can bake ahead and share.
There’s a buttery brown sugar base with lots of seasonal spices, dried cranberries that add tartness, and lots of cream cheese frosting. And I love how the orange zest that’s added in two ways brightens up every single bite.
These bars—even though they aren’t a “cookie”—are perfect to serve on any Christmas cookie tray. And you’ll have lots to share since one pan makes 30 servings.
Here’s what makes them special:
- A rich sugar base – Melted butter and dark brown sugar give the blondies that perfect chewy, almost gooey texture.
- A perfect combination of flavors – There’s sweetness, tartness, and some citrus!
- Frosting with lots of flavor – Cream cheese and melted white chocolate make the frosting extra creamy.
- Easy to make ahead – Prepare them the day before serving, or freeze a batch for later in the season.
This recipe originally appeared in my 2025 Holiday Guide, which is available to order!
Cranberry Blondies Ingredients
Delicious ingredients come together to form these decadent, holiday-themed cranberry blondies:
- Unsalted butter and dark brown sugar – Create the rich, butter-filled base of the blondies.
- Eggs – Bind the batter while also adding structure.
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt – Form the base, provide a little lift, and balance out the sweetness.
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom – Add holiday flavors that really complement the orange well.
- Vanilla extract – You know what I always say: you (almost) always need some vanilla extract in every baked good!
- Grand Marnier – Adds orange flavor; used in both the batter and frosting.
- Orange zest – Gives both layers fresh citrus flavor. Grate only the orange outer peel, avoiding the bitter white pith.
- Cranberries – Adds chewiness and tartness to every bite; also makes a colorful topping!
- White chocolate – Used in 3 ways in the blondies! Choose a baking bar you enjoy eating.
- Cream cheese and powdered sugar – Make the sweet frosting. Use full-fat block cream cheese for the best result.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
There are 5 steps to make these cranberry blondies:
Step 1: Mix the wet ingredients – Melt the butter in a medium bowl, then stir in the brown sugar. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, about 10-15 minutes. Transfer the cooled butter mixture to a stand mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier, and orange zest. Mix on medium speed until well combined and lighter in color, 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients – Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Mix on medium-low until mostly incorporated, then mix in dried cranberries and chopped white chocolate just until combined. Spread the thick batter evenly into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Step 3: Bake the bars – Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 18-22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the blondies cool completely.
Step 4: Make the frosting – Melt white chocolate in the microwave in increments. Then, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier, and orange zest. Gradually beat in half of the melted chocolate, reserving the other half for drizzling.
Step 5: Frost and finish – Spread the frosting over the cooled blondies. Roughly chop the dried cranberries and sprinkle over the frosting, then drizzle with the reserved melted white chocolate. Chill for neater slicing, then cut into 30 small squares or triangles.
Recipe Tips
- Leave a few moist crumbs – Waiting for a completely dry toothpick can overbake the blondies. Follow the center’s doneness rather than waiting for the entire surface to brown.
- Keep the frosting ingredients at compatible temperatures – Room-temperature cream cheese blends more smoothly with slightly warm melted chocolate. Cold cream cheese can cause the chocolate to firm up in little pieces.
- Use a clean knife for tidy bars – Chill the frosted blondies, then wipe the blade between cuts to keep the layers distinct.
Follow These Tips
Serving & Storage
Serving – Once the bars are cool, cut them into small pieces (triangles or squares) and serve chilled, or let individual portions soften slightly to room temperature. They’re a great dessert, but they work really well with coffee, tea, or peppermint hot chocolate, too.
For a Christmas dessert platter, pair them with my peppermint bark or white chocolate peppermint popcorn.
Make ahead – Bake and frost the bars a day before serving, then cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Refrigerate – Store tightly covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The cream cheese frosting needs to be refrigerated to stay edible.
Freeze – These are great frozen! Freeze the finished bars in a single layer until the frosting is firm, then transfer to an airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw covered in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, easily! Use ¾ teaspoon orange extract in the blondie batter and another ¾ teaspoon in the frosting in place of the liqueur. Keep the fresh orange zest the same as written in both layers.
No, I recommend dried cranberries for this recipe. Fresh or frozen cranberries would need to be cooked to get the sweetness and texture we want, so dried works best.
More Christmas Treats
Have I Convinced You to Make This Recipe?
I hope you make this recipe and put some food on your table. Leave a comment and share a star rating so you can let others know how much you love this recipe. This helps show others that this is a recipe they, too, can make, enjoy, and love!
White Chocolate Cranberry Blondies
Ingredients
For the blondie layer
- 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur (or ¾ teaspoon orange extract)
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 orange, depending on size)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 6 ounces white chocolate coarsely chopped
For the frosting
- 6 ounces white chocolate
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier liqueur (or ¾ teaspoon orange extract)
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- ½ cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick baking spray and set it aside.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, melt the butter. Stir in the brown sugar until it is well combined, then allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, 10-15 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the cooled butter mixture, eggs, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier, and orange zest. Mix on medium speed until all ingredients are well incorporated and the batter is lighter in color, 3-4 minutes.12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon Grand Marnier liqueur (or ¾ teaspoon orange extract), 1 tablespoon orange zest (about 1 orange, depending on size)
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom. Mix on medium-low speed until it is mostly mixed, then add the cranberries and chopped white chocolate (the batter will be thick). Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom, ½ cup dried cranberries, 6 ounces white chocolate
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out nearly clean, with a few moist crumbs (do not overbake), 18-22 minutes. The blondies will be light in color with some brown areas. Cool completely.
- Prepare the frosting: Add the white chocolate to a bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted. Do not over-microwave the white chocolate, or it will burn. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat the cream cheese until it is smooth. Scrape the bowl and add the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, Grand Marnier, and orange zest. Mix until it is well-blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate and beat until blended.6 ounces white chocolate, 8 ounces cream cheese, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons Grand Marnier liqueur (or ¾ teaspoon orange extract), 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- Frost the cooled blondies and sprinkle with the chopped cranberries. Lastly, finely drizzle with the remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into 30 square or triangle-shaped bars. The bars are very rich, so cut them into smaller pieces. Store, covered tightly, in the refrigerator until ready to serve. These are good cold, at room temperature, and they freeze beautifully in an airtight container.½ cup dried cranberries
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment below!
Styling: Addelyn Evans | Photography: Dera Burreson
