CRANBERRY BLONDIES

By gstark

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 eggs
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• (recipe below)
• Cream Cheese
• Butter
• Milk
• Vanilla
• Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
• 1 tbsp. chopped orange zest

Preparation

Step 1

Line a 13x9" baking pan with parchment paper, extending up over ends of pan. In a large mixing bowl, stir together butter, eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined; set aside. In a small mixing bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt; stir into butter mixture until thoroughly combined. Add chips and pecans; stir to combine. Spread evenly into the prepared pan; bake in a preheated 350° oven until top is shiny, cracked and light golden-brown (25-30 min.). Cool completely in pan; lift bars out of pan with ends of parchment paper. Frost with Cream Cheese Frosting; garnish with cranberries and orange zest. Cut into bars.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: In a medium mixing bowl, beat 3 oz. softened cream cheese, 2 tbsp. room temperature butter, 1 tsp. milk and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract with an electric mixer on low speed until creamy. Gradually beat in 2 cups confectioner's sugar on low speed until frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Makes 24.