Cranberry Bliss Bars

Steps

1. 1For the Blondie Layer
2. 2Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper, folding excess parchment paper over sides of pan.
3. 3Add 1 cup melted unsalted butter, 1 ¼ packed cup brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar to large mixing bowl or stand mixer bowl. Use hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment to mix butter and sugars until combined.
4. 4Add 2 large eggs, 1 large egg yolk, and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract to bowl. Continue mixing ingredients together until fully incorporated. Set mixture aside.
5. 5Add 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon fresh baking powder, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt to medium mixing bowl. Whisk dry ingredients together until well-blended.
6. 6Once blended, add dry ingredients to bowl of wet ingredients in small increments, mixing ingredients together on medium speed until all ingredients are fully combined.
7. 7Add ½ cup roughly chopped dried cranberries to mixing bowl. Use silicone spatula to gently fold cranberries into blondie batter, until cranberries are just incorporated.
8. 8Transfer blondie batter to prepared pan, smoothing batter evenly across pan. Place pan in preheated oven.
9. 9Bake blondie layer 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, begin checking blondies by inserting toothpick or butter knife into center of blondies. Immediately remove toothpick or knife and check for wet batter or crumbs. Continue baking blondies as needed, checking often, until toothpick or knife comes out clean or with few crumbs.
10. 10When blondie layer is fully baked, carefully remove pan from oven and set aside to cool.
11. 11For the Cream Cheese Frosting
12. 12Once blondie layer has cooled completely, add ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese to mixing bowl. Use hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment to beat butter and cream cheese together until combined and fluffy.
13. 13Add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon fresh orange zest to bowl. Mix ingredients together until fully incorporated.
14. 14Add 3 cups powdered sugar in ¼-cup increments, mixing between each addition to fully incorporate powdered sugar. Continue adding powdered sugar, mixing after each addition, until desired frosting consistency is achieved. Note: frosting should be thick but spreadable. Use more or less than 3 cups powdered sugar as needed.
15. 15Once frosting is prepared, carefully remove blondie layer from pan, using excess parchment paper as handles to gently lift blondie layer out of pan.
16. 16Set blondie layer on flat surface. Dollop prepared frosting on top of blondie layer and spread frosting out evenly, covering blondies completely.
17. 17For the Topping
18. 18Scatter ½ cup roughly chopped dried cranberries across top of cream cheese frosting. Gently press cranberries into frosting if needed to ensure berries stick.
19. 19Add ½ cup white chocolate chips to small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave chocolate chips on 50% power in 30-second bursts, stirring well between each burst, until chocolate has melted. Be careful not to overheat or burn chocolate.
20. 20Once chocolate is melted and smooth, use fork or whisk to drizzle white chocolate over frosting and cranberries.
21. 21Set aside 5 minutes or until white chocolate has set up.
22. 22To Serve
23. 23Once chocolate drizzle has hardened, slice bars into 4 rows of 3 squares per row.
24. 24Slice each square in half diagonally to create 2 triangular bars per square.
25. 25Serve and enjoy!