The Vegan Roadie Recipes

This is my second version of these, I like both versions but the cookie from the previous one was a little crumblier and I wanted chewy, so I went back to the drawing board! I remember the first winter season after going vegan when I walked into a Starbucks and realized I couldn’t order a Cranberry Bliss Bar, I was absolutely crushed. Where else could I get white chocolate blondies with notes of orange and chewy bits of cranberry but without the animal derived butter and eggs? My own kitchen, that’s where. And now yours too! 

Vegan Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

Makes: 32 Bars

Serving Size: 1 Bar 

For the bars:

1 cup vegan butter, melted

1 ½ cup packed light brown sugar

2 vegan eggs (bob’s red mill, just egg, zero egg) or flax egg *see note

1 teaspoon orange extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour or 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour for gluten free

½ teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 cup vegan white chocolate chips

¾ cup dried cranberries 

For the frosting and drizzle:

8 ounces plain vegan cream cheese

3 cups organic confectioners sugar

½ teaspoon orange extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped

1 cup vegan white chocolate chips, melted

Coconut oil, as needed 

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a 13x9 rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Add the butter and brown sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix on low with the paddle attachment until creamed together. Add the vegan egg, orange extract, and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. 

Add the flour, ginger, baking powder, and salt to a separate bowl and whisk to combine. Slowly addthe flour mixture to the butter mixture in the stand mixer and continue to combine on low speed with the paddle attachment. Fold in the chips and cranberries until well combined. Do not over mix. 

Transfer mixture to the prepared baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Bake for 18-22 minutes until golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool. Cool completely before frosting. I like to remove it from the pan and cut off the crispy edges, the edges make great little snacks on their own! Then you have the perfect rectangle for your cranberry bliss canvas, set the cookie rectangle on a large cutting board.

Add the cream cheese, sugar, orange extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer. Use a paddle attachment and mix on low until well combined. 

Frost the cooled uncut rectangle with frosting and sprinkle with chopped cranberries. 

Melt the chips in the microwave, heating for 30 seconds at a time until melted. Mix with a fork between 30 second increments. Add a dash of coconut oil, if desired, to thin the chocolate and make it easier to drizzle. It will also add a slight sheen.

Drizzle melted chocolate over the bars. Place the sheet pan into the refrigerator to let everything set for about an hour, until the drizzle on top seizes completely. Remove from the refrigerator and cut into 24 triangles. 

Place in a tightly sealed container and store in the refrigerator. Will keep for up to one week.

Notes: For vegan white chocolate chips my go to has been King David Kosher chips for years. To make 2 vegan flax eggs mix 2 tablespoons of flax meal with ¼ water and let sit for 5 minutes to thicken, use in recipe as directed. If you want the frosting thicker use less cream cheese, start with half and add more as desired.