Hey elves. It’s me again. You know me; I can’t post one Christmas recipe without posting another! This recipe was so exciting to make because I’m always the one waiting at Starbucks at 5:00AM when they launch their Christmas drinks and the beloved Cranberry Bliss Bars. I could write a novel on Cranberry Bliss Bars and they amount of joy they have brought into my life.
If you’ve never had one, this is the time to close your laptop, get in your car and get to Starbucks as fast as you can so that you can experience this joyful treat. Don’t worry, they sell them by the box too.
Once you try them from Starbucks, that’s the last time you need to pay $4 for one of those suckers. Now you can bake them at home and have A WHOLE BATCH FOR FREE!! Well once you buy the ingredients. 😉
I wish you could have seen the size of the eyes of the students when they walked in the caf and saw a dessert they could get at Starby’s right in front of them! It was pretty rewarding.
Well here it is folks!
Cranberry Bliss Bars
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ cup minced dried cranberries
¼ cup white chocolate — coarsely chopped into big chunks (I always use Ghirardelli. Always)
¼ cup minced candied ginger (optional)
Cream cheese glaze:
4 oz. cream cheese — softened
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla
Garnish:
2 Tbsp. minced dried cranberries (or as many you need to sprinkle on top)
1/3 cup white chocolate chips— melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat butter and sugar together, and add eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Whisk together flour, ginger, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture until combined. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and candied ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until light golden. Cool completely.
Cream the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add sugar and vanilla and mix until tell incorporated, smooth, and spreadable. Transfer to the cake base and spread a thin layer over the cake. Cut into preferred sizes. Sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Using cake decorating bag, baggie, or fork, drizzle the melted white chocolate over the cake.
I hope these bars make you as happy as they make me. Make a batch and then make another for the neighbors! Let’s spread more love and joy this Christmas to reflect how much Christ loves all of us!
Love always,
Nicole
