If you’re looking for a festive and delicious treat to make this holiday season, look no further than these gluten-free holiday bliss cookie bars. These bars are soft and chewy, with white chocolate chips, coconut, and cranberries for a burst of flavor and texture. They’re also topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting and more cranberry bits for extra indulgence. These bars are gluten-free, but you don’t need any special ingredients to make them. Just use your favorite gluten-free flour blend (I recommend Namaste Perfect Flour Blend™) and add some xanthan gum for binding. You can also use dairy-free butter and cream cheese if you need them to be vegan.
Here is the list of ingredients that you will need to make these gluten-free holiday bliss cookie bars:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend (such as Namaste Perfect Flour Blend™)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 (8 ounce) package white chocolate chips
- ¾ cup shredded coconut
- 1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese frosting
- ½ cup chopped dried cranberries, or to taste
These bars are easy to make in one bowl, and you can bake them in a 9×13-inch pan for easy cutting. They’re perfect for sharing with family and friends, or enjoying by yourself with a cup of coffee or tea. Here’s how to make them:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, beat together softened butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour blend, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Then add the remaining flour mixture along with white chocolate chips and shredded coconut. Mix well until everything is well combined.
- Press the dough evenly into the prepared pan using your hands or a spatula.
- Bake for 23 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
- Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before frosting.
- To make the frosting, beat together cream cheese frosting (you can use store-bought or homemade) with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled bars using an offset spatula or a knife.
- Sprinkle chopped dried cranberries over the frosting as desired.
- Cut into 48 triangles (or any shape you like) using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.
Enjoy your gluten-free holiday bliss cookie bars! Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
I hope you love these bars as much as I do! They’re so festive and delicious that no one will guess they’re gluten-free! If you try them out, let me know what you think in the comments below!
Happy holidays!
