Thursday, December 17, 2015

Cranberry bliss bars



'Tis the season to bake!  I'm headed to my friend Ellen's today to spend the morning baking and I can't wait.  Here's the recipe for the other bars I made for our book club.  Watch the baking time - mine turned out a little dry, but still yummy.

Cranberry Bliss Bars (makes 15)
from Skinnytaste blog

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. brown sugar (not packed)
1/4 c. melted unsalted butter
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
1/3 c. dried cranberries, chopped

8 oz reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/3 c. dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9x13 inch pan with baking spray

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon and stir to blend.  In another bowl, whisk the sugars with the butter, egg whites, applesauce and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until the batter is very well blended.  Fold in white chocolate chips and 1/3 cranberries.  Spread batter into the prepared pan using the back of a measuring cup to smooth (wet the measuring cup if it's sticky).

Bake 10-14 minutes until the edges are light brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Don't over bake or the bars will be dry.  Let bars cool completely on a wire rack.

Next, prepare the frosting.  In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Frost the bars and then cut into squares or triangles.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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