CRANBERRY BLISS BARS / STARBUCK'S

Cranberry Bliss Bars / Starbuck's image

Provided by Pat Duran

Time 50m

Number Of Ingredients 21

BARS:
3/4 c butter,softened
1 1/4 c packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 Tbsp minced crystallized ginger
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 c chopped sweetened dried cranberries
1/2 c vanilla or white chocolate chips
FROSTING:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
3 c powdered sugar
4 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c chopped sweetened dried cranberries
DRIZZLE: FOR GARNISH
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 Tbsp milk
2 tsp olive oil or shortening

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350^.Butter a 9x13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. Bars: Beat together the butter and brown sugar with electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the ginger,vanilla and salt. and beat well.
3. Gradually mix in the flour and baking powder until smooth. Mix the chopped cranberries and chocolate chips into the batter by hand. Pour batter into the prepared pan. Use a spatula to spread evenly across the pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, until the bars are lightly browned on top. Cool on wire rack.
4. Frosting: Combine ingredient,except cranberries, in a mixer bowl and beat until smooth. Spread on bars when completely cooled. Sprinkle the cranberries over top of frosting. --- Drizzle Garnish: Whisk together ingredients and drizzle over cranberries in a back and forth motion using a squirt bottle or plastic storage bag, corner cut off. --- Cover bars and chill for 2 hours. Then cut bars length-wise down the center -then cut then across 4 times making 8 bars and cut those bars in half diagonally making 16 triangular bars.