Tuesday, December 18, 2018

Cranberry Bliss Bars

These copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars are the perfect winter treat with a chewy sugar cookie base with cranberries and white chocolate topped with cream cheese frosting!

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Every year, I look forward to getting the seasonal Cranberry Bliss Bars at Starbucks. We have a little Starbucks in our grocery store and it's a nice little treat to get one while grocery shopping. The cookie part is chewy, the frosting is creamy, the cranberries are tart, and then there's the white chocolate. They are rich little bars, but so delicious. A must for the winter season, if you ask me. The original has orange zest in it, but my oldest is allergic to oranges (and possibly pineapple - we're waiting on his results for that and he is devastated that he may not be able to eat Hawaiian pizza anymore), so I just subbed in a little lemon zest. It's still got that bright acidic zing needed to offset the rest of the recipe.

(Print)
What you need:
For the bars:
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 Tbsp. orange zest (I may have subbed for lemon due to Matthew's allergy to orange)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
For the frosting:
  • 2 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla 
For the drizzle:
  • 1/4 cup white chocolate chips
  • Additional white chocolate chips
  • Additional dried cranberries
Directions:
  1. For the bars: Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
  2. Add eggs, vanilla, and orange extract. Mix until just combined.
  3. Add flour, baking powder, cranberries, and white chocolate chips. Mix until just combined.
  4. Pour onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper or a silicone lined mat. Spread out evenly. It doesn't have to take up the whole cookie sheet.*
  5. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and edges have begun to brown.
  6. Cool completely.
  7. For the frosting: Beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  8. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add a splash of milk, if needed, to thin to a spreadable consistency.
  9. Spread the frosting over the cooled bars and then sprinkle with additional cranberries and white chocolate chips.
  10. For the drizzle: melt white chocolate chips in the microwave in 15 second intervals, stirring in between until completely melted and smooth.
  11. Drizzle over the top of the bars and let set before cutting.
Recipe from Mom Makes Dinner

I had to share this Cranberry Cheesecake Crumble Pie with y'all - because it combines three sweet treats, which is a win in my book: pie, cheesecake, and streusel! But I tell you what, I am deadset on trying this Cranberry Bliss Coffee Cake recipe from Let The Baking Begin because HELLO! It looks gorgeous and why wouldn't I want the wonderfulness of cranberry bliss bars in other recipes!


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