The Starbucks Holiday Treat You Can Find Cheaper In 6-Count Boxes

Whether you're a year-round Starbucks fanatic or just stop in during the holidays for a Pumpkin Spice Latte or Eggnog Cold Foam drinks, you've likely heard of the fan-favorite, fruity Cranberry Bliss Bars. This frosting-laden dessert, flavored with orange, is only available during the winter months and comes at a hefty cost of around $4 per bar. Of course, you could try to recreate the cream-cheese layered blondies at home, but if you're not much of a baker — or you're just too overwhelmed during the holidays to even think of adding another task to your list — we've got good news. Certain Starbucks locations also stock six-pack trays of the Cranberry Bliss Bars, packaged neatly in one big red box, for $16.95.

Let's do some math. At regular price, six of the cranberry delights would run you almost $24, not to mention the gas it takes to embark on five extra trips to your nearest Starbucks location. That means if you know you'll be grabbing one of these little treats several times a week or month, buying a box will save you at least $7. And since it's a seasonal holiday item, the festive box also makes a great stocking stuffer if you have a friend or family member who's a big cranberry bar aficionado. Just make sure to check online or call to see if your store has the boxes in stock before you make a trip there — not every store will, and even if they did at one point, the popular treats may be sold out.

For sure, $7 off is a good deal. But if you're patient and willing to gamble a little bit with whether the boxes will stay in stock, frequent Starbucks shoppers say that the trays are sometimes marked off even further once Christmas is over. Lucky buyers have reported deals as good as 40% to 50% off, using their Starbucks app to check promotions and snag a delicious dessert deal in the process. After the New Year, any remaining boxes may be discounted even further to fully clear the brand's Christmas inventory and prepare for January items and early Starbucks Valentine's Day merchandise.

If you're hoping to extend the lifetime of your Cranberry Bliss Bars, the recommended time in the fridge is seven days, but they can be frozen for quite some time and then thawed to enjoy. Fans may want to grab them when they see them – although the item seems popular enough that it's likely to return, you never know what will be discontinued, since Starbucks has made sweeping menu changes in the past.