Cranberry White Chocolate Blondies with Orange Frosting
Cranberry orange blondies are chewy, buttery dessert bars made with nutty brown butter, tart dried cranberries, and bright citrus zest. Finished with a smooth white chocolate cream cheese frosting, these bars balance sweetness and tang for a bakery-style treat that feels indulgent yet refined.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 16 blondie bars
- Category: Desserts
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
**Cranberry Orange Blondies**
Unbleached all-purpose flour – 1¾ cups (213 g)
Baking powder – ½ teaspoon
Salt – ½ teaspoon
Unsalted butter – 12 tablespoons
Light brown sugar – 1½ cups
Large eggs, room temperature – 2
Vanilla extract – 2 teaspoons
Orange zest – 1 tablespoon
Dried cranberries – ¾ cup
White chocolate, chopped or chips – ¾ cup
**White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting**
Cream cheese, room temperature – 8 oz
White chocolate, melted and cooled – ½ cup
Confectioners’ sugar – ¾ cup
Orange juice – 1–2 tablespoons
**Optional Garnish**
Chopped dried cranberries
Melted white chocolate
Instructions
**Prepare the Pan and Oven**
Preheat oven to 350°F and position the rack in the center. Grease a 9×13-inch pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang.
**Brown the Butter**
Melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until golden brown bits form and a nutty aroma develops. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
**Mix the Batter**
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. In another bowl, mix brown butter and brown sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and orange zest. Gently fold in dry ingredients until just combined.
**Bake the Blondies**
Fold in white chocolate and dried cranberries. Spread batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 18–22 minutes until edges are golden and the center looks slightly soft. Cool completely.
**Frost and Decorate**
Beat cream cheese until smooth. Mix in melted white chocolate, confectioners’ sugar, and orange juice. Spread frosting over cooled blondies. Garnish with cranberries and white chocolate if desired.
Notes
• Brown butter adds depth but must cool slightly before adding eggs.
• Use high-quality white chocolate with cocoa butter for smooth melting.
• Lemon zest can replace orange zest for a sharper citrus flavor.
• Chill frosted blondies for 1 hour before slicing for clean edges.
• A hot knife creates neat, professional-looking cuts.