Cranberry Bliss Bars

This bar cookie makes a thoughtful gift, delicious snack or sinful breakfast cookie. They are pretty and taste amazing! Pack a few into a cute container add coffee/tea/hot chocolate and a gift tag! Or make a batch and enjoy them yourself!!

Cranberry Bliss Bars

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
6 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
1/3 cup candied ginger, finely chopped

 Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries
1/2-3/4 cup white chocolate, shavings

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10x15 jelly roll pan with parchment paper, trimming away any excess.  

Cream butter and brown sugar in large bowl of electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add dry ingredients in small amounts, blending well. Fold in cranberries, chocolate, and chopped ginger.  Spread batter over parchment paper in pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until bars are slightly firm to the touch. Cool  completely.

 Combine softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, orange juice and orange zest, fold in dried cranberries.

Spread frosting over cookies and sprinkle with chocolate shavings (scrape a bar on the side with a large knife to get these- doesn't matter if it crumbles instead of curling). Cut bars into fourths along the length, and into 3 parts along the width, then cut each square into a triangle. Store bars in the refrigerator.