Best 2 Orange Cranberry Cookie Bars Recipes

Indulge in a delightful symphony of flavors with our Orange Cranberry Cookie Bars, where the tangy zest of oranges harmonizes perfectly with the tart sweetness of cranberries. These delectable treats offer a delightful balance of flavors and textures, making them ideal for any occasion. Whether you're hosting a festive gathering or simply craving a sweet indulgence, our Orange Cranberry Cookie Bars are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. With two fantastic recipes to choose from, you can create classic cookie bars with a chewy texture or delightful shortbread bars with a crumbly base and a layer of tangy orange cranberry filling. Both recipes are easy to follow and guarantee a delightful homemade treat that will be cherished by all.

Here are our top 2 tried and tested recipes!

ORANGE CRANBERRY COOKIE BARS

Orange Cranberry Cookie Bars image

These cranberry cookie bars combine two beloved holiday flavors and top a delicious soft crust with cream cheese icing. We enjoy these during the holiday season. —Jennifer Blakely, Visalia, California

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 50m

Yield 8 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 18

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup white baking chips
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup grated orange zest
FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons grated orange zest, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, beat brown sugar, melted butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into sugar mixture. Stir in baking chips, cranberries, pecans and orange zest., Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-22 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack., For frosting, in a large bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, butter, 1 tablespoon zest and vanilla; beat until smooth. Spread over bars. Combine dried cranberries and remaining 2 tablespoons zest; sprinkle over frosting. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. Cut into triangles. Store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 89 calories, Fat 5g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 14mg cholesterol, Sodium 64mg sodium, Carbohydrate 10g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.

CRANBERRY-ORANGE COOKIE BARS

Cranberry-Orange Cookie Bars image

The first time I tried these, a co-worker on a specialized team brought them in for breakfast. She got them from Starbucks® (a seasonal delight, I'm told). So, I checked them out after I got off from work and at over $2 per little "triangle" piece, I decided I'd learn to make them for a lot less. My family members all urged me to recreate these. So after a bit of research, I found that there's a few copycat recipes online; but this is my twist on that concept.

Provided by Asgard Ranch

Categories Desserts Cookies Bar Cookie Recipes

Time 2h20m

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 19

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
⅓ cup white sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (such as Craisins®)
½ cup white chocolate chips
½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract
½ cup sweetened dried cranberries (such as Craisins®), chopped
1 tablespoon grated orange zest, or more to taste
⅓ cup white chocolate chips
½ teaspoon canola oil

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 9x13-inch baking dish with parchment paper.
Beat butter, brown sugar, and white sugar for bars together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stir in eggs, orange extract, and vanilla extract until well blended. Add flour, baking powder, and ginger; mix until well incorporated and the batter looks like soft cookie dough. Stir in cranberries and white chocolate chips until well mixed. Spread the stiff batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven until light brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Don't overbake, or your bars will be dry. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix cream cheese and butter for frosting together until light and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and orange extract; beat mixture until fluffy and spreadable. Spread evenly over the cooled bars.
Combine cranberries and orange zest for topping in a food processor and roughly chop. Sprinkle evenly over the frosted bars.
Mix white chocolate chips and oil together in a glass, microwave-safe measuring cup. Microwave until fluid enough to drizzle, 1 minute to 1 minute 15 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the melted chocolate diagonally across the bars.
Allow chocolate to set for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares or triangles.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 317.4 calories, Carbohydrate 45.5 g, Cholesterol 55.1 mg, Fat 14.3 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 2.8 g, SaturatedFat 8.6 g, Sodium 63.9 mg, Sugar 36.6 g

Tips:

Use fresh cranberries for the best flavor. If you only have frozen cranberries, thaw them completely before using.
Don't overmix the dough. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.
Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much.
Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. Overbaking will make the cookies dry and crumbly.
Let the cookies cool completely before cutting them into bars. This will help prevent them from falling apart.

Conclusion:

These orange cranberry cookie bars are a delicious and festive treat that are perfect for any occasion. They are easy to make and can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Whether you are looking for a sweet snack or a special dessert, these cookie bars are sure to please.