This copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars recipe is as good as or better than the Starbucks version. Healthy and keto-friendly, these low carb bars will satisfy all your holiday cravings. This post is sponsored by ChocZero.
I am happy to say that I have long since conquered my former Starbucks addiction. Creating amazing keto versions of their popular treats like these Cranberry Bliss Bars has helped immensely. I now only frequent Starbucks when I am traveling, and even then, it’s only for a cup of black coffee.
Now that I think of it, I have a lot of keto Starbucks copycat recipes. I clearly get plenty of inspiration from the famous coffee house chain. I do love taking some old favorites and making them keto-friendly. I’ve got keto vanilla bean scones, keto maple pecan scones, keto pumpkin cream cheese muffins, and keto gingerbread loaf, to name just a few.
I actually have an older version of low carb cranberry bliss bars too. Really old, back from 2010 when this blog was in its nascent stages. They were fine, they were serviceable, but this recipe is much better and I felt it deserved a whole new blog post.
New and Improved Keto Cranberry Bliss Bars
What makes this newer keto cranberry bar recipe so much better? Well, a number of things. For one thing, my baking skills have improved immensely in the last 9 years and these updated bars have a more dense, chewy cookie bar quality, rather than the cake-y bars of yore.
But an even more important factor is the development of keto-friendly white chocolate chips. At long last!
I have tested out both brands of white chocolate chips now and I will tell you that the ChocZero chips are far superior in many ways. That, my friends, is the honest opinion of a professional home baker (because this IS my profession, after all).
The ChocZero chips hold their shape during baking and don’t melt away into nothingness, which is a huge benefit for keto cookies and bars. They also have a little more of the true white chocolate flavor.
I am not knocking the other brand, as I am delighted by the fact that brands are seeing a need and trying to fill it. The keto world needs more of this. We don’t need any more keto energy bars, thank you very much. We need chocolate!
You may have noticed that this post is sponsored by ChocZero. Do not take that as influencing my opinion whatsoever. I managed to sweet talk ChocZero into sending me some for testing and comparison and I raved so much about them that they offered to partner with me. Now that’s serendipity.
How to make Keto Cranberry Bliss Bars
There are a few other things that go into the new and improved Cranberry Bliss Bars. For one thing, I made the batch smaller, fitting into a 9×9 inch pan. It serves still serves 16, but they cut more evenly into the classic triangles from Starbucks. And they have fewer carbs!
They also have a better texture. I created the base similarly to my famous Keto Brown Butter Blondies, but I used baking soda rather than powder, so they would be more dense. I also added a little gelatin for extra chewiness.
And of course my own sugar-free dried cranberries, which I make a big batch of every year.
I added white chocolate chips to the bars themselves but I also melted a little to drizzle on top of the cream cheese frosting. This too is a hallmark of the Starbucks version.
One tip when melting ANY kid of white chocolate, be it high sugar or sugar-free, is to add a little cocoa butter or coconut oil. White chocolate is even more finicky than dark or milk, and it tends to seize easily. The added oil helps it melt smoothly. But do not use butter, it thickens it too much for drizzling.
And for heaven’s sake, do not try to melt it in the microwave unless you want a clumpy mess. Double boiler style provide much gentler heat.
Eager to make some Keto Cranberry Bliss Bars? I know you’re going to love them! Do note that the ChocZero white chocolate chips are out of stock at the moment but don’t worry, they assure me that they are getting them back in the next few weeks. Just in time for the holiday rush!
More Great Keto Cranberry Recipes
- Sugar-Free Cranberry Sauce
- Keto Cranberry Biscotti
- Keto Cranberry Cobbler
- Cranberry Cheesecake Pie
- Cranberry Cream Cheese Loaf
- Cranberry Shortbread Streusel Bars
Keto Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
Bars:
- ½ cup butter softened
- ⅔ cup Swerve Brown (can sub granulated)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (can sub 1 teaspoon ground)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1 tablespoon grassfed gelatin
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup sugar-free white chocolate chips
- ¼ cup sugar-free dried cranberries chopped
Frosting:
- 6 ounces cream cheese softened
- ⅓ cup powdered Swerve Sweetener
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ tablespoon almond milk room temperature
Garnish and Drizzle:
- 2 tablespoon sugar-free dried cranberries chopped
- 3 tablespoon sugar-free white chocolate chips
- ½ teaspoon coconut oil (or a little bit of cocoa butter)
Instructions
Bars
- Preheat the oven to 325F and lightly grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the egg, ginger, and vanilla extract.
- All at once, add the almond flour, gelatin, baking soda, and salt. Beat until the dough is thoroughly combined. Stir the cranberries and white chocolate chips in by hand.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the center is still soft to the touch. Remove and let cool completely.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sweetener until well combined. Beat in the vanilla and then beat in the almond milk until smooth and creamy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the bars.
Garnish
- Sprinkle the bars with the chopped dried cranberries.
- In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, combine the white chocolate chips and the coconut oil or cocoa butter. Stir frequently until melted and smooth.
- Drizzle over the bars and let set 20 minutes before cuttng into bars.
Gigi Varnum says
I’m planning to include these is my mass holiday cookie-baking project this year, but freezer space is at a premium, to store baked goodies until it’s time to assemble and deliver platters.
Can I make these and frost/finish them,but then freeze the whole batch without cutting them and stack multiple batches, wrapped, in the freezer for a couple weeks? Do they have to fully defrost to be cuttable, I guess is my question?
Since I’m mailing many cookies out to family and friends in faraway places, I want to start them on their journeys frozen in insulated bags, so any/all advice is welcome!
Carolyn says
I would think so!
JT says
Can collogen be used instead of the gelatin?
Cynthia says
Is there another substitution for the grass-fed gelatin? I’m having a hard time finding any locally
Carolyn says
You can leave it out but it’s a bit less of that chewy quality.
Jem Cope says
Ohhh I’m so excited to try these! I love Starbucks a little too much myself and I’ve been wanting to maybe make something a little different. By the way, when you said the sponsorship didn’t impact your review I immediately believed you. I had to actually pause for a second to be like “why” because obviously, I don’t know you. But I’ve eaten so many of your recipes, and that’s a small part of knowing you and I know how much work you put into them because I can taste it. Your recipes are often my go-to because they just plain taste better. Sometimes I make a recipe and I’m like “did they actually try this” if you know what I mean LOL. But I can tell how much care is put into your recipes because they just work. I just wanted to share that with you. Thank you for all the help with my keto journey. Happy Holidays!
Carolyn says
I am so glad you feel you can trust me. Because honestly… that’s extremely important to me. I don’t endorse products that I don’t myself use and love. Sponsorship is a necessary part of my business but it has to be real. And if a company is small and new and can’t afford “influencers”, but I love what they do, I STILL share about it!
Patricia Gutierrez says
Do these freeze well..?
Carolyn says
Probably. I haven’t tried.
April Lane says
These were so good! Thank you Carolyn! I used the 1teas. ground ginger. I can’t wait to try the fresh ginger next time:)
Shannon says
I am trying these today! I am curious about your ginger equivalency above however. I am wondering if it is possibly a typo? Every time I have looked up converting fresh ginger to ground ginger it says to use 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger in place of a tablespoon of fresh ginger. Your one-to-one ratio seems like it would change the taste dramatically? Regardless, I am excited to try these!
Carolyn says
Fresh ginger has much more potent bite, when you get little bits in your bars. But 1/4 tsp ground ginger wouldn’t be nearly enough, IMO – you would barely taste it. Do as you see fit, though!
April Lane says
I thought the same thing about the ginger. I used the 1teas. ground. It’s was good. I’m going to try the fresh next time.