Cranberry Coconut White Chocolate Bars

Dried cranberries, white chocolate, and coconut baked into delicious Cranberry Coconut White Chocolate Bars that are perfect for the holiday season!

Festive and Fabulous!

These Cranberry Coconut White Chocolate Bars are loaded with dried cranberries, white chocolate and coconut, and covered in melted white chocolate, more cranberries and coconut. Which gives them the most amazing texture and taste! These festive bars are so delicious and absolutely perfect to take to a holiday party or just to have around the house this time of year!

A Very Cranberry Christmas

Something about cranberries just seems so perfect for the holidays. Whether I’m sipping a Cranberry Cheer Cocktail or biting into an Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookie or sharing a Cinnamon Roll Wreath with loved ones. The rich color of cranberry is just so festive and beautiful.

And the texture! From the very first bite, you’re sure to be in love with these bars. The warmth of the cinnamon, the chew of the cranberry and the sweet white chocolate – they’re everything in one delicious bar.

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• All-purpose flour: provides structure and stability. The flour binds everything together and gives the bars their chewy, slightly cakey base. You can use a 1:1 gluten free all-purpose flour or even whole wheat flour, if desired.
• Ground cinnamon: adds warmth and a subtle spice that complements the sweetness of the white chocolate and tartness of the cranberries. It makes the bars feel cozy and seasonal.
• Kosher Salt: enhances all the other flavors and balances out the sweetness. It’s a tiny amount, but it makes a big difference.
• Baking soda: the leavening agent that helps the cookie bars rise a bit.
• Baking powder: another leavening agent that helps the bars rise just a bit and stay soft instead of being dense or flat.
• Unsalted butter, softened: adds richness, moisture, and a tender crumb. Because it’s unsalted, you have better control over the salt content, but you can use salted. Just adjust the recipe to account for the added salt.
• Light brown sugar: sweetens the bars while adding depth of flavor (thanks to the molasses in brown sugar). It also contributes to the soft, chewy texture.
• Large eggs: help bind everything together and add structure. They also help with moisture and richness.
• Pure vanilla extract: adds aroma and rounds out the flavors. Vanilla complements the white chocolate and cranberry really nicely.
• Dried cranberries: add chewiness and a tart burst that balances the sweetness. Half get baked in, half go on top for color and texture contrast.
• White chocolate chips: white chocolate adds creamy sweetness. Baking some into the bars gives that gooey bite, and melting the rest on top makes them look polished and taste extra indulgent.
• Shredded coconut (sweet or unsweet): adds texture, chew, and a mild nutty-sweet flavor. Some gets baked into the bars, and the rest is sprinkled on top for visual appeal and extra flavor.

Supplies:

• 9×13-inch baking dish
• Parchment paper
• Nonstick cooking spray
• Medium mixing bowl
• Electric mixer with paddle attachment

How to Make Cranberry Coconut White Chocolate Bars

Let me show you how easy it is to bake these sweet bars for a special treat this holiday season!

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper and light grease with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar until smooth. Add the eggs and vanilla

• Beat until well combined.
• Gently add the flour mixture and blend until just combined.
• Add 1 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup white chocolate chips, and 1 cup shredded coconut.

• Stir until well incorporated.
• Spread batter evenly into prepared baking dish.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the top starts turning light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove bars from the oven and immediately sprinkle with remaining 2 cups white chocolate chips.

• Return to over for about 2 minutes so the white chocolate starts to melt. Remove again and spread the melted white chocolate evenly over the bars.

• Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 cup dried cranberries and 1/2 cup shredded coconut. Let cool completely. Lift parchment from pan and cut into squares or triangles.

Storage

Store cookie bars in an airtight container, with parchment paper between each layer, at room temperature for 4-5 days. 

To freeze, let the cookie bars cool completely, wrap cookie bars individually in plastic wrap, and then put in a freezer-safe container or in individual freezer-safe baggies to store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To defrost, let them thaw overnight in the fridge or for a couple hours, loosely wrapped, at room temperature.

If you make my Cranberry Coconut White Chocolate Bars, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me  @thebakermama on Instagram so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 😍 I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!

xoxo,

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