COPYCAT STARBUCKS CRANBERRY BLISS BARS

I can remember tasting these bars for the first time about 15 years ago. It’s funny to think how long ago that was. My best girlfriends and I would grab the most sugary coffees at Starbucks and loads of treats at Christmastime before heading to church. There was this youth group for college kids we attended, and it felt so cool to have a peppermint mocha and a cranberry bliss bar in hand.

Fast forward all these years, and Starbucks is still cranking out these lovely treats. I had one for the first time in years last week, and I noticed that the recipe I loved so long ago seemed to have changed a bit. I recalled them being much more moist and having a bigger hit of citrus. I understand that times, ingredients, memories, and tastes change but I really wanted that slightly gooier treat I so enjoyed in my youth group days.

I set out to make this cookie bar by reading at least 15 recipes online until I settled on elements from each to create a bar that doesn’t disappoint and packs way more flavor than the average cookie. I always add salt and vanilla to ALL my baked goods. I notice they are missing from so many standard recipes online, and it’ll seriously pump up the flavor of anything you are baking.

• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted, softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar or muscovado sugar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 Tbsp. fresh orange zest
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. pure orange extract
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 3/4 cup AP flour, spooned and leveled by dry measure
• 1 cup chopped, dried, sweetened cranberries
• 1 11-oz. bag good quality real white chocolate chips, no candy melts or white bark

Icing

• 1 11-oz. bag of good quality white chocolate chips, no candy melts or bark
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp. fresh orange zest
• 1/4 cup sweetened dried cranberries, chopped
• Pinch of kosher salt

For full instruction please see : www.rusticjoyfulfood.com

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