Cranberry Bliss Bars

Sue Lau's Note:

A more mainstream version of Cranberry Bliss Bars (Almost Like Starbucks), for those who want to avoid artificial sweeteners.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 24

Bars

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
• 6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• 1/2-3/4 cup white chocolate, shavings

Directions:

1. For bars:.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with parchment paper, trimming away any excess.
3. Cream butter and brown sugar in electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate.
4. Add dry ingredients in small amounts, allowing time to blend and not forgetting to scrape down the mixer bowl.
5. Turn off mixer, remove paddle, and fold in cranberries, chocolate, and ginger peel.
6. Spread batter over parchment on pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are not puffy and slightly firm to the touch. Allow to cool.
7. For topping:.
8. In another electric mixer, blend softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, orange juice and orange zest, making sure you scrape down the mixer bowl and blend. Turn off mixer, remove paddle, and fold in dried cranberries.
9. When bars are cool, spread frosting evenly on top and sprinkle with chocolate shavings (scrape a bar on the side with a large knife to get these- doesn't matter if it crumbles instead of curling).
10. Cut bars into fourths along the length, and into 3 parts along the width, then cut each square into a triangle.
11. Store bars in the refrigerator.

Reviews

[LaurietheLibrarian]

These were yummy. They disappeared at our cookout. Thanks Sue!

[lilsweetie]

just like starbucks! this is an awesome recipe. these looked amazing and they had that "wow" factor. the change i made is instead of putting white chocolate shavings on top, i melted 1/4 cup white chocolate chunks and drizzled it on. the recipe calls for 1/2-3/4 cup white chocolate but i think that would be too much as the recipe is quite sweet already.

[BarbryT]

Absolutely delicious! The only change I made was to use 3 ounces white chocolate and 3 ounces semisweet chocolate instead of all white. Ditto with splitting the shavings to put on top. The bar part is scrumptious; the frosting EVEN BETTER. The combination: to die for.