Cranberry Bliss Bars

Cookie Bars
2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs
2 teaspoons orange extract

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 cup dried cranberries
3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Frosting

4 ounces cream cheese , softened (1/2 a brick)

2 tablespoons butter , softened

3 cups powder sugar

1 teaspoon orange extract

Topping

1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped into small pieces

Grated orange rind from one navel orange

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 10X15 inch pan with parchment paper. 

Cream the butter.  Add sugars and cream until fluffy.  Add eggs and orange extract and mix until incorporated.  Place flour, baking powder and ginger in a bowl.  Add the flour mixture in heaping spoonfuls to the batter mixing slowly after each addition.  Add the cranberries and white chocolate and mix just until incorporated.  Spread the batter out evenly in the prepared 10X15 pan.  Batter will be thick.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until light brown.  Place aside to cool.

After the cookie bars are cool, make the frosting.  Cream butter and cream cheese.  Slowly add powder sugar by the heaping spoonful mixing after each addition.  Add the orange extract and mix until incorporated.  Spread frosting evenly over the cooled cookie bars.  Layer of frosting will be thin (be patient).  The frosting is very sweet; so do not make extra frosting and spread it over cookies as they will be too sweet!

Top the frosted cookie bars evenly with the chopped dried cranberries and grated orange.  Cut into bars and serve.  Enjoy!