Cranberry Bliss Bars
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 12-20 bars
boncook.com
Ingredients
- 1 cup (125g) pecans, chopped and toasted
- 1 ½ cups (339g) unsalted butter — divided (1 cup melted, ½ cup softened)
- 1 ½ cups (300g) packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (batter)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (frosting)
- 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups (300g) white chocolate chips, plus 6 oz (170g) melted for drizzle
- 1 ⅞ cups (220g) dried cranberries
- 35g orange zest
- 1 (8 oz / 226g) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup (120g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Set FORTEEZ Fleximat™ on Perforated Baking Sheet.
- Toast pecans until fragrant; set aside.
- Whisk melted butter and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, then 2 tsp vanilla.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.
- Fold in white chocolate chips, cranberries, ¼ cup orange zest, and pecans.
- Spread evenly in Fleximat™; bake 20 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.
- Beat softened butter, cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, 2 tsp vanilla, and 1 tbsp orange zest until creamy.
- Frost cooled bars, then top with chopped cranberries, 2 tbsp zest, and drizzle with melted white chocolate.
- Chill 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
bonTIPS:
- Toast pecans ahead for a richer, nutty aroma.
- Use room-temperature butter and cream cheese for a smooth frosting.
- For neat, bakery-style cuts, refrigerate bars before slicing and wipe the knife clean between cuts.
