Cranberry Bliss Bars

I admit it, I love Starbucks.

I really love Starbucks. I have made so many memories in their coffee shops. Hanging out with my girlfriends, Tweet Ups, the first time meeting an online friend who flew out from the opposite end of the country, business meetings, to sitting there alone, headphones on, writing, thinking, people watching.

The hours must be in the hundreds. Even though I go there for the coffee I have on occasion tried some of the baked goods they offer.

Now one who’s never enjoyed white chocolate, I am surprisingly smitten with their Cranberry Bliss Bars.

Having moved to a small town in the middle of nowhere I am sorely lacking my Starbucks fix. After recently hitting one in Chapters after doing some Christmas shopping I bought one of those triangles of sweet cranberry love. And it has been on my mind ever since.

Cranberry Bliss Bars

3/4 cup butter

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup dried cranberries

6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted with 1 teaspoon of shortening

1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave, stir in brown sugar, let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, gradually add all the ingredients to the mixer bowl.

 Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate. The batter will be very thick, almost like a cookie dough.

Pat the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool completely.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until well-blended.

 Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate, beat until blended. Frost the cookie base. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped.

Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.