Cranberry Squares
I love finding new and creative ways to use ingredients. So many of my friends have children close in age to my own, and it seems like we are on the go all the time. I enjoy baking from scratch, but I also like to keep boxed mixes on hand for times when I need something really fast, or experimenting with new things. It’s easier for me to make adjustments to a base mix, and get it just right, then adapt it to my “scratch” mix. I’m weird like that 🙂 Many friends have also shared that they really like when I share boxed mix recipes, because they are more likely to actually try to make those vs. the from scratch recipes. I try to include a nice mix of each here (sometimes sharing both in the same post), so that there is something for everyone! This is my newest adventure, Cake Mix Cranberry Squares, with White Chocolate Glaze.
Sometimes people ask how many attempts it takes to get something right. That varies from recipe to recipe 🙂 The first attempt at this one, I used cranberry sauce and whole cranberries. That didn’t work out, as you can see. The next attempt, I put some whole cranberries in the food processor and diced/chopped them into little pieces. That worked out SO much better. I didn’t bother adding my glaze to this version, because I knew it wasn’t going to be the final version 🙂 As you can see from the top picture, the final version, a few minor tweaks made a HUGE difference!
Cranberry Squares
Ingredients
- Bar Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups cranberries, diced/chopped in food processor
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Glaze Ingredients
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup white chocolate chips
- Topping
- Granola, Optional
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan).
Grease bottom of 9×13 pan only and lightly flour pan, or spray using baking spray with flour.
In a food processor, dice/chop your cranberries into small pieces
In large bowl, mix cake mix, butter, water and eggs using hand mixer on low, until combined.
Stir in cranberries and white chocolate baking chips.
Spread evenly in pan.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool completely, about 1 hour.
Meanwhile, prepare glaze.
Heat milk, sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and continue to boil and stir for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the white chocolate chips until melted.
Drizzle the White Chocolate Cranberry Bars with the glaze.
For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.
Enjoy!
Store any remaining bars loosely covered.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
24Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 154Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 59mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 1gSugar: 13gProtein: 2g
These are a few items I find helpful in my own kitchen when preparing this recipe:
Farberware Nonstick Bakeware 9-Inch x 13-Inch Covered Rectangular Cake Pan, GrayPillsbury Baking Spray with Flour, 5 Ounce (Pack of 12)Ninja NJ110GR Express Chop, 200 WattsKitchenAid KHM512ER 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, Empire RedOXO Good Grips 3-Piece Mixing Bowl Set, Blue/Green/YellowWilton 2103-1112 Scoop-It Batter Spoons, Set of 3
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I love just about anything with cranberries.
That looks so delicious!
These look and sound delicious! I love that they are easy to make. Thank you for sharing and Happy Holidays!
I am a baker at heart and this recipe not only looks great, but looks like a wonderful addition to my holiday recipes!! Thanks for sharing!
These look SO good! I love cranberry everything! So does my daughter! This looks like something we can make together. Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
This looks really yummy. I don’t eat many desserts, but these might be tasty to make on the rare occasions that I do have a treat.
Looks delicious! And I think I can make it!
Oh my, these look amazing!
This looks delicious – the perfect combo of sweet and tart!
These look super delicious! Definitely pinning to save for later!
I think this looks so yummy, I will have to make it for my company coming from out of town. I will let you know how they like it.
I love anything cranberry and these look really delicious!
These look delicious!! My hubby loves cranberries! I would love to make this for the get-together with my hubby’s family for Christmas!
I have never tried Cranberry Squares before, but would love too! These look so tempting!
These look good, don’t think I have ever had them.
They are beautiful and would dress up a holiday cookie tray.
This recipe is awesome! Delicious, yummy and “gotta have it”
These look very tasty and very festive. I admire people who experiment with cooking! I am a “follow the recipe” to the letter person for the most part.
Pretty sure my husband will be telling me to make these for Christmas. They look delicious! Thank you for providing this for us to enjoy.
These are just too good. I cannot stop eating them.
These are making my mouth water! I love anything to do with cranberries!
This wasn’t what I was expecting by the title but what a neat recipe! My mom is the big white chocolate fan in my family so I might make this when I visit home for the holidays. 🙂
These really look scrumptious! It makes sense you can adjust to a box mix, by adding things. I think I do prefer to start from scratch, but using the box mixes certainly saves some time and I do that sometimes as well. I’ve been visiting your pinterest boards so I can find some simple ideas to get back into cooking/baking….and boy am I getting hungry now. 🙂 🙂
I have a cranberry cake recipe that I love, and this one looks just as good. It will be nice to have another one to make. We live by a cranberry farm, so I usually have a lot of cranberries to use.
Those look delicious!! I will have to make these, since we all love cranberries!!!
Judy
I need to try this recipe because I love anything with cranberries
look great i am going to make them for christmas
I love cranberries and I love white chocolate… must try these! Great holiday recipe.
These look so fantastic!
Love the red – so eye catching!
Barbara Montag
Looks delicious!
Very festive with seasonal flavors.
slehan at juno dot com
This recipe sounds great. Cranberries are one of my favorites especially around the holidays. I stock up on cranberries during the holiday season because it’s hard to find during the rest of the year. I’m also a white chocolate fan so yum and great recipe.
I’ve become obsessed with cranberry desserts ever since I ate some cookies with cranberries.
These look marelous. I don’t always think of cranberries as a dessert ingredient, but why ever not!
Wow do these ever look good. And I just picked up some white baking chocolate, and was looking for a recipe, and this is the one to make – pow!
These look so yummy! <3