Cranberry Bliss Bars

It's that time of year again where Starbucks offers up that delicious little treat... the cranberry bliss bar. I have been searching for a recipe for a few years that might come close and have come up empty handed until today.  These bars are so very tasty and so very easy to make!  I made two separate batches, one following the directions and one a gluten free version.  My gracious little taste testers all agreed that they both tasted the same!  Yeah!  Something gluten free that is finally VERY close to the original.  I can tell the texture is the slightest bit different (if you are GF then you know what I am talking about) but not enough that anyone would know if you didn't tell them.

I found this recipe on my newest addiction Pinterest.

Cranberry Bliss Bar Wanna Be
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/White-Chocolate-Cranberry-Blondies

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1-1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped
• FROSTING:
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated orange peel, optional
• 6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Directions

• In a microwave, melt butter; stir in brown sugar. Transfer to a large bowl; cool to room temperature. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add to butter mixture. Stir in cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).
• Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack.
• For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and orange peel if desired until blended. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Cut into bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen

GLUTEN FREE version:

I substituted my all purpose GF flour straight across for the flour called for.  My all purpose flour is a homemade flour that has a combination of rice flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, potato starch and Xanthum gum.  Also make sure that you are using the GF baking powder.