Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat )

Ingredients

BARS

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks, very soft)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange extract (or vanilla)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

FROSTING

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons orange extract (or vanilla)

TOPPING

• 1/3 cup craisins, chopped
• 1-2 tablespoon grated orange rind
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon canola oil

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (325 for a glass or dark pan). Prepare a 9x13 pan (or 10x15 pan) by lining it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray.

2. 2

   Bars: With an electric mixer, beat together butter and sugars until fluffy; add eggs and orange extract and beat until combined.

3. 3

   Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly. Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just to blend and being careful not to overmix.

4. 4

   Note - my Lightened version: OMIT half the butter (1/2 cup), OMIT 1/2 cup Brown sugar. ADD 1/2 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup Brown Sugar Splenda mix.

5. 5

   Spread thick batter in prepared pan and bake 350 (23-24 minutes for 10x15, 27 minutes for 9x13), until the edges are light brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let it cool completely.

6. 6

   Frosting: Blend cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add orange extract and confectioner’s sugar and beat until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (adding 1 t. milk if needed). Spread evenly over cooled bars.

7. 7

   Garnish: Use a zester to remove rind from an orange. Chop 1/3 cup Craisins coarsely. Sprinkle this garnish of orange zest and Craisins over frosted bars.

8. 8

   For the final topping, mix white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 60% power for 1 minute; stir. Repeat 1 more minute at 60% power; stir. Use a fork to drizzle the white chocolate in thin diagonal strips across the bars.

9. 9

   Allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting. **To make signature Starbuck triangles, cut jelly roll pan into 20 large squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts with the knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally (see additional photos which show this step).