{Better than Starbucks} Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cranberry Bliss Bars are a chewy Blondie recipe with a hint of ginger that are loaded with craisins and white chocolate chips. An orange infused cream cheese icing tops them off with a sprinkle of more craisins and white chocolate chips.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword cranberries,white chocolate chips,ginger,cream cheese,orange

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 25

Cooling time 30

Total Time 40

Servings Bars

Calories 220kcal

Author Nicole Crocker

Ingredients

For the Blondies

2 Sticks Unsalted butter ,melted
1 1/2 Cupcs Brown Sugar ,packed
2 Large Eggs
1 teaspoon Orange extract
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Zest from half an orange
1/2 teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Cups All purpose flour
1 Cup White Chocolate chips
3/4 Cup Dried cranberries

For the Cream Cheese Icing and topping

1 ,8 ounce package Cream Cheese ,softened
1 1/2 Cups Confectioner sugar
1/2 teaspoon Orange extract
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 Cup Dried cranberries ,roughly chopped
3 Ounces White Chocolate chips ,melted

Instructions

For the Blondies

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F. Line a 13x9 pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil . (* Leave enough foil or parchment hanging over edge to help you lift blondies out of the pan once they are cooked.)
In a medium bowl mix together, flour, baking powder, ginger, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl cream melted butter and brown sugar.
Add eggs one at a time and mix.
Mix in orange extract, vanilla and orange zest.
Add dry ingredients in and mix to incorporate.
Add cranberries and white chocolate chips and mix well.
Spread mixture in your prepared pan evenly.
Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes. The top of your bars should be lightly browned.
Remove from oven and let cool completely before adding cream cheese icing.

For the Cream Cheese Icing and topping

In a large bowl mix softened cream cheese with a hand mixer on high speed until creamed. Add confectioner sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated then increase to high speed and mix until smooth.
Add vanilla and orange extract and blend well.
Lift your cooled blondies out of the pan and place on a large cutting board. Spread icing over top of blondies then cut into triangles.
Sprinkle chopped craisins over bars and then drizzle with melted white chocolate.
**To melt chocolate place white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high in 10 second increments stirring between each. Will probably be ready after about 3 times in the microwave. Once they begin to melt they should get smooth as you stir them. Careful not to over heat them or they will seize up.
** I like to place melted chocolate in a small zip lock baggie. Cut a very small part of the corner of the baggie off to make a small hole to squeeze melted chocolate out of.
Bars should be stored in the fridge until ready to serve because of the cream cheese icing.

Notes

**Amount of bars you get depend on how large you want to cut them.

Nutrition