Cranberry Bliss Bars (Starbucks Copycat )

Ingredients

BARS

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks, melted)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange extract or vanilla extract
• 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
• 1 teaspoon 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 10x15 by lining it with parchment paper or use a non-stick spray.

2. 2

   BARS: Melt butter; cool slightly. With an electric mixer, beat together melted butter and sugars 3-5 minutes until light; gently blend in eggs and orange extract. Add the flour, baking powder, and ginger and beat briefly. Add the cranberries and chips, stirring just until incorporated.

3. 3

   Spread thick batter in prepared 10x15 pan. Bake 350 for 23-24 minutes until light brown and a skewer tests clean. Don't overbake. Let it cool completely. NOTE: If you use a 9x13 pan, the bars will be thicker and will take 27-29 minutes.

4. 4

   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.

5. 5

   GARNISH: Use a zester to remove rind from an orange; sprinkle zest over frosted bars. Chop 1/3 cup Craisins coarsely; sprinkle over frosted bars.

6. 6

   DRIZZLE: Mix white chocolate and oil in a glass measuring cup. Microwave 1 minute; stir until melted. Use a fork or whisk to drizzle the white chocolate diagonally across the bars.

7. 7

   Allow one hour for the white chocolate to set before cutting. **To make signature Starbuck triangles, cut into 20 large squares (5 cuts by 4 cuts with the knife). Then cut each square in half diagonally to create triangles.