Cookie Exchange

I have decided on a cookie(well not really a cookie, more of a bar) for the cookie exchange this year. I have just tried it out on my Mother's group and with raving reviews. I wasn't sure if I was going to do this recipe, because I found it a bit messy to package up, but I can work with it. My recipe of choice is as follows..

Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bars
I have never had this bar from Starbucks, but apparently it tastes pretty close to the real thing.

• For Cake Base:
• 2 sticks margarine (or butter if you want to indulge) -- softened
• 1 and 1/4 cups brown sugar-- packed
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/2 cups flour
• 1/4 cup minced dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup white chocolate -- coarsely chopped( I used white chocolate chips)
  
• 1/4 cup minced candied ginger
  
  
• For Frosting:
• 4 ounce cream cheese -- softened
• 1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp butter -- softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
  
• For Garnish:
• 2 Tablespoons minced dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup white chocolate chips -- melted

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs/vanilla beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.

When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then use a cake decorating bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing on cakes) and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

Cut this into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and makes cake cutting messy.

If you have a chance to try it out one day, let me know what you think. I think it is a great festive bar for a cookie exchange. I hope everyone likes them.