Better Than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars

Diane Phillips delivers once again!! She is one of my favorite cookbook authors. I made this recipe for the first time this past week. They are gorgeous. Even my 15 and 12 year old boys, who are not cranberry fans, loved them. 

Better Than Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars Recipe by Diane Phillips

Ingredients 

• Bars:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon orange oil (or 2 t. orange extract)
• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips (I prefer vanilla chips all the way. I think the flavor of white chocolate is too much when it is meant to just enhance a recipe and not dominate)

Creamy Orange Frosting:

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter 
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon orange oil or 1 tsp orange extract

Garnish:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup white chocolate or vanilla chips 
• 2 tablespoons grated orange zest

Drizzle:

• 8 ounces white chocolate or vanilla, chopped
• 2 tablespoons butter

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 350°; line a 15 x10 in jelly roll pan with a silicone liner, foil, or parchment paper (if you are using foil or parchment, coat it with nonstick spray.
2. Make the bars—with an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar, sugar, eggs, and orange oil in a big bowl until combined.
3. Add in flour, baking powder, and spices; beat until the flour begins to blend into the batter, 45 seconds- 1 minute. Add in cranberries and chips, stirring just to blend and being careful not to overmix. (I would do this part by hand)
4. Spread into prepared pan and bake until a skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs adhering to it, 15-17 minutes. (Mine actually took somewhere between 22-25 minutes. Start with the lesser time though.)
5. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan on a rack.
6. Make the frosting—with an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and butter in a large bowl until fluffy, or process them in a food processor.
7. Add in the powdered sugar, orange oil/extract and beat/process until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency; spread it evenly over the cooled bars.
8. **DO AHEAD NOTE: the frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
9. Make the garnish—Chop the cranberries a bit, then sprinkle the frosted bars with the cranberries and white chocolate or vanilla chips. (I think the chips are overkill. I did not put them on mine.)
   The drizzle step is not necessary, unless you want to take it to the next level....in case you do.... here you go......
10. Make the drizzle—in the top of double boiler set over simmering water, melt the chopped white chocolate with the butter, stirring until smooth.
11. Drizzle over the frosting in a decorative pattern and garnish with the orange zest

 ***DO-AHEAD NOTE: at this point, you can cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 6 weeks.