12 Days of Goodies: Day 10 - Cranberry Bliss Bars

Apparently these bars are a knock-off of what they serve at Starbucks. I've never tried them there, but I can say that these might be my favorite goody so far. They are so delicious and decadent and easy to put together that I know I'll definitely be making them even when the Christmas season is over.

Cranberries aren't used very often (at least in my baking), but you'd definitely miss them if you left them out of this recipe. They pair so perfectly with the white chocolate that it's become a new favorite flavor combination of mine. What? Me? Venturing away from chocolate/peanut butter? I know, I know . . . But these are totally worth it. And the white chocolate cream cheese frosting puts them over the top!

Cranberry Bliss Bars (original recipe can be found here)
1 c. butter, melted
2 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
3 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. dried cranberries
1/2 tsp. orange zest
Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. white chocolate chips, melted
2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. dried cranberries, chopped into smaller pieces
1. Preheat oven to 350 and line a 9x13 pan with foil and grease it.
2. Mix together butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt until thoroughly combined.
3. Stir in flour, white chocolate chips, cranberries, and orange zest.
4. Spread evenly in prepared pan, and bake 25-30 minutes, or until the top is light golden brown. Allow to cool.
5. For frosting, beat cream cheese with about 3/4 of the melted white chocolate (just eyeball it).
6. Add the powdered sugar, and beat for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Spread over cooled bars, and sprinkle chopped cranberries over the top. Use a fork to drizzle the remaining white chocolate over the top of the cranberries. (Re-warm it in the microwave for 10-20 seconds if it's set up.)

Hugs and cookies,

Amanda