I have many
recipes on my To Do list, but this one has been there for years. Cookin’Diva posted the original recipe on
Food.com, and although it was good as posted, I have made a few tweaks to cut
down on the sweetness and the time involved.
I made it for a casual dinner with friends at our house, but the recipe
made enough to take the next night for dinner with another family. Both families gave it rave reviews. Copycat recipes are some of my favorites,
because I like dining out as much as the next person, but I hate not knowing
what ingredients are in my food. That is
what keeps me testing or creating new versions of take-out or dine-out recipes,
especially when the item is a seasonal one.
Sure, pumpkin flavored shakes and pies are traditionally only served in
the fall, but that does not mean I only crave them in October, so I experiment
with pumpkin or other flavors all year round.
My husband’s craving for a certain rib-shaped, meat-like, drive-thru
sandwich do not just happen one week out of the year either, but between you
and me, I have my limits.
Today we are only raising the
bar with these copycat Cranberry Bliss Bars from Starbucks. A combination of white chocolate, cranberry,
and orange makes them refreshing enough to transcend the holiday season. They have a texture somewhere between a cake
and a cookie, and are soft even when refrigerated, which makes them a great
recipe for making a day ahead. These bars
are beautiful, citrusy, and sweet. Just
as perfect for a rainy spring day as they are the holidays. Enjoy!
Cranberry
Bliss Bars
Bars:
1 cup butter (softened)
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon orange extract
(or use all vanilla)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking
powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup dried cranberries
(I used both pomegranate and orange flavored Craisins)
3/4 cup white chocolate
chips
Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese,
softened
2 tablespoons butter,
softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon orange extract (or
vanilla)
1/3 cup dried cranberries,
chopped
3 tablespoons orange zest
Directions: Preheat oven to 350° (325° for a glass
or dark pan). Prepare pan (10x15, 11x17,
or 9x13) by lining it with parchment paper or non-stick cooking spray. In mixer, cream butter and sugars together until
light and fluffy. Add eggs and extracts,
beating slowly, and just until the eggs are combined. Add flour, baking powder, and ginger, beating
gently, and then add the cranberries and chips, stirring by hand, just until
incorporated. Batter will be thick. Spread into prepared pan. For 10x15 and 11x17 inch pans bake for 20-24
minutes. For 9x13 pan bake for 26-28
minutes. Do not over bake. Remove bars when light brown at the edges and
a toothpick tests clean. Cool completely
on baking rack. When pan is completely
cool, make three cuts lengthwise into four rows, and width-wise into five rows
to form 20 large squares. Now cut each
square diagonally into two triangles. FROSTING:
Blend cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add orange extract and powdered sugar; beat
until frosting is fluffy and spreadable (add 1 teaspoon of milk, if needed). Spread frosting over each bar. Sprinkle orange zest and chopped cranberries
over frosted bars. You can save time by frosting
before cutting, but they do not cut cleanly due to the cranberries. Store covered in the refrigerator.