Cranberry Bliss Bars

Submitted by ratherbeswimmin

"Diane Phillips; insired by those from Starbuck's"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 47mins
• Ingredients: 20
• Yields: 40 bars

ingredients

• Bars

• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1⁄2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon orange oil (or 2 t. orange extract)
• 2 1⁄2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3⁄4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 3⁄4 cup white chocolate chips

• Creamy Orange Frosting

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter or 6 tablespoons margarine
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon orange oil (or 1 t. orange extract)

• Garnish

• 1⁄4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 1⁄2 cup white chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest

• Drizzle

• 8 ounces white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°; line a 15 x10 in jelly roll pan with a silicone liner, foil, or parchment paper (if you are using foil or parchment, coat it with nonstick spray.
2. Make the bars--with an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, and orange oil in a big bowl until combined.
3. Add in flour, baking powder, and spices; beat until the flour begins to blend into the batter, 45 seconds- 1 minute.
4. Add in cranberries and chips, stirring just to blend and being careful not to overmix.
5. Spread into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it, 15-17 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a rack.
7. Make the frosting--with an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until fluffy, or process them in a food processor.
8. Add in the powdered sugar, orange oil and beat/process until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency; spread it evenly over the cooled bars.
9. **Do-ahead--the frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
10. Make the garnish--sprinkle the frosted bars with the cranberries and white chocolate chips.
11. Make the drizzle--in the top of double boiler set over simmering water, melt the chopped white chocolate with the butter, stirring until smooth.
12. Drizzle over the frosting in a decorative pattern and garnish with the orange zest.
13. Do-ahead--at this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 weeks.