Shelly's Recipe

CRANBERRY & PISTACHIO BLISS BARS

Category: Bars

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest from 1 orange
1 1/2 c. flour (I use King Arthur’s Unbleached All Purpose Flour)
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. chopped dried cranberries
1/2 c. white chocolate cut into small chunks or white chocolate chips
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Finely grated zest from 1 orange
3 c. powdered confectioner’s sugar
1/4 c. chopped dried cranberries
1/4 c. chopped shelled pistachios
1/4 c. White chocolate shavings

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.

In a mixing bowl, beat the cup of butter and brown sugar together for 2 minutes or until light & fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition. Then beat in a teaspoon of vanilla extract and the finely grated zest from one orange.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice & salt. Beat into the butter mixture just until combined with no traces of flour remaining.

By hand, stir in 1/2 cup chopped dried cranberries and 1/2 cup white chocolate chunks or chips until evenly distributed. Batter will be thick. Spread batter evenly into your prepared baking dish. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool completely in baking dish placed on a wire cooling rack.

Make the frosting. In a mixing bowl, simply beat items 12-15 together for 3 minutes or until smooth & creamy. Spread evenly over the top of the cooled bars. Immediately sprinkle items 16-18 evenly over top. Allow frosting to set for a few hours. Then slice bars into 3 long rows by 5 short ones.

NOTE: I like to store the bars in in a waxed paper lined airtight container.