This Better Than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bread has all the bells and whistles of the original bars, but in an irresistible pound cake form. Skip the coffee shop and stay home and bake!
I delight in everything about this season, and even though it’s a cliche, I still get a warm rush when Starbuck’s brings out the pumpkin lattes. But I think everyone can agree that while their coffee is pretty fantastic, their baked stuff has taken a nosedive in recent years. There was a time when I was happy to splurge on maple oat nut scones and pumpkin breads, but not anymore. Now I grab my coffee solo, because I know I’ve got an even better treat waiting for me at home.
The base of this ‘bread’ is a rich buttery cake made with part whole wheat flour and studded with dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. The thick vanilla frosting is covered with more cranberries, and then the whole thing is drizzled with white chocolate. It’s fun, festive, and way better than the dried out squares in the case.
Part of the appeal of the cranberry bliss franchise is that gorgeous top. It just screams holiday!
TIP: White chocolate can be difficult to melt. Adding a teaspoon of vegetable oil to the chocolate before melting can help.
Do you love to copy Starbucks as much as I do? Try my other copy cat recipes~
Ingredients
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 stick (1/2 cup, 113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries, plus a handful more for scattering over the frosting
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- milk or cream to thin
- 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut or vegetable oil
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Whisk together the flours, soda, powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla.
- Gently mix in the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Fold in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
- Turn the batter into a greased standard (81/2 x 4 1/2) loaf pan. I like to line it with a sheet of parchment paper to make it easy to remove the cake after baking. Bake for 55 minutes to an hour until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out without wet batter clinging to it. Don't over bake, check it early. Let the cake cool before you frost it.
- To make the frosting mix the sugar with enough milk or cream to create a thick spreadable consistency.. Blend in the vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooled cake. Scatter with dried cranberries.
- Make the chocolate drizzle by melting the chocolate and the oil in a small (clean and dry!) microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds and stir to melt. If necessary microwave for another few seconds, but be careful not to over do it.
- When the chocolate is smooth, take a spoon and drizzle it all over the top of the cake in a criss-cross pattern.
Don’t forget to pin this amazing Cranberry Bliss Bread!
Follow your bliss with more from some of my favorite bloggers —
In cookie form from Gimme Some Oven
and a low carb and gluten free version from All Day I Dream About Food

81 Comments
Jeanette Chapman
October 9, 2018 at 10:33 amHi
In England we don’t use cups or “sticks” as you probably know. whilst I can get around most of the receipt can you tell me how I measure the butter please. I have no idea what a stick is and short of melting butter into a cup and then letting it harden, I have no idea!
Many thanks in advance.
Regards,
Jeanette
Sue
October 9, 2018 at 11:54 amThat would be 113 grams Jeanette.
36 Holiday Bread Recipes: Baking Greatness | Chief Health
September 22, 2018 at 11:21 am[…] From: TheViewFromGreatIslands […]
Trish
September 10, 2018 at 3:53 pmDoes this freeze well? I’m thinking of making this to give as Christmas gifts this year. Do you think I could make the loaf, freeze it, and then thaw it shortly before giving and do the frosting, drizzle, etc. then?
Sue
September 10, 2018 at 4:22 pmI think most quick breads freeze well, so if you double wrap it and get it pretty airtight, it should be fine.
Jean Jenkins
September 3, 2018 at 5:31 amCan you use reg milk instead of buttermilk ?
Sue
September 3, 2018 at 7:38 amThat should be fine, Jean. You can also make your own ‘buttermilk’ by adding a little lemon juice or vinegar to regular milk. For every cup of milk I add a tablespoon of acidic lemon or vinegar.
Moriah
January 15, 2018 at 6:43 pmAha, take that Starbucks! You’re coffee always made my stomach quesy anyway and you’re food is way to expensive.
Though I will admit, their cheese, greens and tomato sandwiches (especially the one with feta) I do like. But again, so expensive! Do you have any diy’s for their sandwiches??
Sue
January 15, 2018 at 7:53 pmI haven’t done a copy cat sandwich, that will have to be next!
Lori
December 24, 2017 at 10:12 amMade this for Christmas Eve and it was amazing! The only caveat I would have is that people need to use clear Vanilla extract; I used the kind from Mexico and while it tasted phenomenal, it discolored the frosting! Ack!
Marsha Tomko
December 8, 2017 at 7:40 amMy husband and I baked this bread together. Was easy. Smelled delightful while baking. Expectations were high. Let it cool and drizzled all the dreamy white chocolate over it. Got our hot tea ready for our much anticipated “first piece”. It was just “okay”. Couldn’t put our finger on it until the second piece. It was dry!! I didn’t even notice during prep that there is no oil in this bread. Did oil, of some kind, get left out of the recipe accidentally? If not, what can we do to remedy this? We really want to try this again! Help!!
Marsha and Glen
Sue
December 8, 2017 at 9:16 amHi Marsha and Glen! This recipe uses butter, not oil, and should have a nice pound cake type texture. Is it possible you left out the butter? Another possible reason for the dryness might be that your oven runs hot, and the bread was accidentally over-cooked. If you want to try this with oil instead of butter, you would use about 20% less oil, so a little bit less than 1/2 cup. Hope this helps!
Hannah
December 6, 2017 at 8:37 amI cannot wait to try this recipe! I was just wondering, would it work if I used a mini loaf pan and decreased the cooking time? I’m hosting a cookie exchange this weekend and would like to give these as little gifts to my guests!
Sue
December 6, 2017 at 8:44 amSure, that would be fine. I think the rule of thumb is to reduce the oven temp by 25 degrees, and bake for about 25 minutes, but I would do a test loaf to be sure, Hannah, since they’re going to be gifts.
Renee Seltmann
December 4, 2017 at 8:15 amCould I use all white flour? I hate to buy a bag of wheat, for just this recipe! Has anyone tried it that way?
Sue
December 4, 2017 at 8:19 amYes absolutely Renee, it will work fine.
Kelly Placeres
November 4, 2017 at 6:33 pmI just baked this amazing cranberry bread! I doubled the recipe it is so easy and it came out great! I love it I also used fresh and dry cranberries. It came out yummy.
Sue
November 4, 2017 at 7:36 pmThanks Kelly, I’ve been meaning to try it with fresh berries :)
Imraan
February 19, 2017 at 4:14 amWhen I first looked that the Cranberry bliss Bread picture I thought this will take some time to bake but after reading your recipe it seems so easy to make ! I will surely be trying this very soon! Thanks for the great recipe!
Sue
February 19, 2017 at 5:22 amLet me know what you think Imraan :)
Alyssa
December 29, 2016 at 3:02 amDelicious recipe!!! I had fresh cranberries that I needed to use up, and the bread turned out the ideal combo of sweet and tart.
Courtney
December 1, 2016 at 9:46 amI wasn’t wondering if I could just use regular flour instead of whole wheat flour because I have a gluten allergy?
Sue
December 1, 2016 at 10:33 amYes, that should be fine, Courtney. I bet you could use a good gluten free flour blend as well.
Joan
December 11, 2016 at 5:22 pmI just made these today and I used GF flour. I also made them in a tiny loaf mold from Demarle. They turned out perfect at 25 minutes, the flour was not an issue.
Sue
December 11, 2016 at 5:53 pmGreat to know, thanks Joan!
kavi
September 29, 2016 at 4:02 amyummy… i think it will be very tasty they have used cranberries & white chocolate chips those who love choclates they definetly love it cranberries it will be very tasty with this too combination
Sue
September 29, 2016 at 7:21 amSounds wonderful!
nina
September 29, 2016 at 3:14 amThanks for sharing the recipe with us so that we can learn it easily :)
Phyllis
September 17, 2016 at 6:24 pmHave this in the oven right now .Cannot wait to taste it,looks yummy.
Donna Elick
November 3, 2015 at 8:44 pmOh my heavens. This looks amazing. I am totally making this over the weekend. I can’t wait to try it.
Diane
November 2, 2015 at 9:13 pmThis looks wonderful! This may be a dumb question, but are the cranberries just dried cranberries or are they SWEETENED dried cranberries? Thanks
Sue
November 3, 2015 at 6:25 amI believe I used standard sweetened dried cranberries, Diane, but I’m sure either would work. I think in general most dried cranberries are sweetened because the fruit is so tart.
Allizon
September 18, 2015 at 8:36 amHow much does this recipe yield?
Sue
September 18, 2015 at 11:32 amOne loaf, Allizon.
Laura@Baking in Pyjamas
September 2, 2015 at 2:02 pmI just had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte today and can’t wait for the rest of the Autumn bakes to hit the shelves. I’ve never seen Cranberry Bliss Bars in the Starbucks here in the UK but after seeing this I’m dying to try your version. It certainly looks like bliss indeed!
Sue
September 2, 2015 at 2:19 pm:) Thanks Laura – I haven’t had my first Pumpkin Spice Latte, I guess I better get with the program! Thanks for stopping by.