Cookie of the Week!- Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar

Now if you are a fan of Starbucks then you know that it is the time for the Bliss bar and the peppermint brownie. The best time of the year!!! I had a request to make the bliss bar from a former co-worker and friend (bet you didn't know that I worked for Starbucks for years, until I had L). I told to let me poke around some and see what I could find. Well I found a great recipe for them. I got it here, and I have to say that they are pretty close to the real thing. These are a bit more cakey then the actual bliss bar, but way cheaper to make them yourself. I think in the store right now they are $2.25 a piece, and to make this it would probably cost a whopping $5-7! So I just had to make these for Thanksgiving! I actually made 2 batches over these last 2 days, and they have been a hit. So I highly recommend making these, whether you are a huge fan of the original Bliss bar or just really like cranberry, white chocolate, and cream cheese. You must make these!!! Next up, Starbucks Peppermint Brownie!

Cake

• 1 cup butter , softened
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or orange extract
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
• 6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice or 2 teaspoons orange extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup diced dried cranberries

Drizzled Icing

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 2 teaspoons vegetable shortening
• orange zest, garnish (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt; beat well.
3. Gradually mix in flour until smooth.
4. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand.
5. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13-inch baking pan and spread evenly.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges.
7. Let cool.
8. Frosting: combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth.
9. When the cake has cooled, spread frosting over the top of cake.
10. Sprinkle top with diced cranberries.
11. Icing: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and shortening.
12. Drizzle icing over cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip.
13. Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle.
14. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices.
15. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.