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vegan cranberry bliss bars cut up on parchment

Cranberry Bliss Bars (Vegan)

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry bliss bars
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 23 minutes
cooling time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Servings: 24
Calories: 213kcal
Author: Cindy Rainey
This recipe for Cranberry Bliss Bars is a vegan homemade version of the seasonal bar you can buy at your local coffee shop. They are chewy and moist and spiced just right.
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Ingredients

Cranberry Bliss Bars

  • 2 Tablespoons ground flax seed
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger powder
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch more in frosting
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter melted (1 stick)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange extract
  • zest from 1 orange about 1 ½ Tablespoons
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips vegan - more for topping
  • 1/2 cup Craisins more for frosting and topping

Frosting

  • 2 teaspoons white vinegar
  • ½ teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup vegan butter room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  • 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/3 cup craisins

Topping

  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips vegan - melted
  • 1/3 cup craisins

Instructions

Cranberry Bliss Bars

  • Preheat oven to 350° and prepare a 9x9 baking pan by lightly spraying and placing parchment paper on the bottom and hanging over two sides. (See photo for example.)
    parchment paper in brownie pan
  • zest orange and set aside
  • In your main mixing bowl, add the warm water to the flax seeds, stir to moisten and allow to sit for a few minutes while you are getting your dry ingredients together.
  • In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, ground ginger, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to break up and fully incorporate the brown sugar.
  • Add the melted butter, orange and vanilla extracts, and orange zest to the bowl with the water/ground flax mixture. Mix together.
  • Add the dry ingredients, half at a time and mix well to combine. Your mixture will have a texture similar to cookie dough.
  • Add in the white chocolate chips and craisins. You may need to finish mixing by hand.
  • Press into your prepared pan and bake at 350° for about 23 -27 minutes or until sides are lightly browned.
  • Take out and allow to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes. Very carefully lift the baked bars out of the pan using the sides of the parchment paper to assist. Place the bars (still on top of the parchment) carefully on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Frosting

  • In a small bowl (not your mixing bowl) add the white vinegar, lemon juice, orange and vanilla extracts, and salt together and allow to sit for a couple of minutes so the salt can dissolve. You can prepare the vegan butter and shortening while you are waiting.
  • Add the vegan butter and shortening to a mixing bowl and allow the butter to soften if it is not yet at room temperature.
  • Cream the butter and shortening together till fluffy and add in the liquids, powdered sugar, and cornstarch. Start by mixing on low and then high for a few minutes until the powdered sugar is fully incorporated.
  • Add in the cranberries and mix well.
  • Frost the cranberry bliss bars and sprinkle the cranberries on top.
  • Using the microwave, melt the vegan white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Starting at one minute, stir, and then 20 seconds increments for up to one more minute. Stir and check after each 20 seconds, making sure that the white chocolate mixture isn't burning.
  • Put melted white chocolate into a pastry bag with a small tip and drizzle on top of the frosted bars.
  • Again, using the parchment to lift, move the frosted bars to a cutting surface. Cut the bars. To get the classic triangle shape, cut the 9x9 cookie bar into three horizontal strips and four vertical strips, giving you 12 rectangles. Cut the rectangles in half from corner to corner.

Notes

Warning! 
You might be tempted to double this recipe. Don't! Because eggs are not used to bind the ingredients, it wll no set up as well in the middle with a larger pan. If you want to double it, just make it twice. Sorry - I'm all about the shortcuts, but in this case you will be happier if you don't double it.

Nutrition

Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 128mg | Potassium: 61mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 270IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 1mg