CopyCat Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients
For the White Chocolate Cranberry Blondie Base
1¼ cup brown sugar packed
½ tsp salt
1½ sticks butter softened, not melted
3 eggs
1½ tsp vanilla extract
2 tblsp minced crystallized ginger or 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
1½ cup flour
½ tsp baking powder
¾ –1½ cups dried cranberries
4 oz. white chocolate chips
For garnish:
½ cup dried cranberries
2 oz white chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice about 1 lemon
1/4 tsp orange extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle. Line a 12×16 inch baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Set aside.
Cream together 1¼ cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp salt & 1½ sticks butter. Add 3 eggs & 1½ tsp vanilla extract, one egg at a time creaming the mixture in between.
Add 2 Tbsp grated ginger, 1½ cup flour & ½ tsp baking powder and stir everything together.
Add Craisins & white chocolate and fold them in.
Using wet hands or wet spatula spread the batter evenly in a 12×16 inch baking pan. Bake for about 20 minutes until the middle is baked through. Do not over bake or the bars will be very dry. Allow cooling.
Add 4 oz cream cheese, 1½ cups powdered sugar, 4 tsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp orange extract & 1 tsp vanilla extract to a bowl of a mixer. Using a beater or a whip attachment beat/whip everything together until creamy, about 4-5 minutes.
Place the white chocolate in a cup and microwave for about 40-50 seconds in 7-8 increments stirring with a spoon in between, until it just starts to melt. Continue stirring until all chocolate is melted.
Transfer it to a ziplock bag and twist the end around the chocolate. When ready to drizzle, snip the end with scissors.
Spread the frosting over the cooled down crust.
Sprinkle the craisins on top. Drizzle melted white chocolate on top. Allow the bars to set until the top of the cream cheese frosting is not sticky to the touch, about 2 hours. This will make it easier to cut the bars
Trim the ends of the bars, for even edges. Cut the bars into squares, then cut the squares diagonally into triangles.