Domesticity

Meh.

Have you ever had the Cranberry Bliss Bar at Starbucks?  It’s one of my favourites:  soft, dense, chewy blondie-esque bottom topped with thickly whipped cream cheese icing and sprinkled with tiny dried cranberries.  Its name is appropriate, since it sends me into a state of bliss after my first bite.

I got to thinking, “Why pay two dollars for a teeny slice of this sweet when I could make it myself?”  So I scoured the good ol’ internet and found a promising recipe.   I had been dreaming of making this for a few weeks and I planned to finally kick off my holiday baking tonight with this hopeful treat.

I spent the better part of my evening whipping up the batter, then the icing, then chopping craisins into tiny slivers, then melting white chocolate to drizzle on top.  It was a rather involved process.  The bars looked good.  Nice and festive.  So naturally, I carved myself a generous slice, for quality control purposes.

bliss.jpg

I am sorry to report that it was not everything I had hoped.  The bottom was more coffee-cakey than dense and chewy (BOO!) and it didn’t have enough spice to it (there was ginger in the recipe but I think we could have done with a dash of nutmeg or something) and was a little dry.  Instead of Cranberry Bliss Bars, I have renamed them Sadberry Miss Bars.

I even made a double batch, so sure was I that the recipe would be a smash hit.  Owell, they’re not terrible (I had no problem downing my big ol’ piece), but the reality didn’t match my dream.

What’s on your holiday baking menu this year?  And worthwhile recipes to pass my way?

 

23 Comments

  • So far I’ve made close to 4 lbs. of Peppermint Bark and some delicious Iced Molasses cookies. I usually have a cookie party with a bunch of girlfriends in December so I am used to baking in mass quantities, but this year was just too busy. For some reason I am still making triple batches of everything, and somebody has got to eat the stuff (mostly me).

    I’d love to find a recipe to duplicate Starbucks Gingerbread Loaf, that stuff is divine! Sorry the bliss bars aren’t all you hoped, but I am sure they are still yummy.

  • Well, at least it looks good! I hate when you want something so bad and it doesn’t work out! I think I’m going to be safe this year and stick with the usuals…

  • My hubby always requests Oatmeal Raisin Cookies and Molasses Cookies, so I’ll definitely be baking those. I’m not much on cookies, so I’m looking forward to making some yummy breads. Also, can I just say how hard it was to find molasses in the grocery store last year?

  • I usually make pralines, sugar cookies with homemade icing, these pistachio balls that are heavenly, haystacks (chow mein noodles, almond bark, peanuts and peanut butter), and sometimes buckeyes. I am itching to start my holiday baking, but my oven shorted out on Sunday. I am still waiting on a repairman to call me to schedule an appointment.

  • Oh that’s disappointing! I’m going to post my fave holiday recipes soon. Maybe tonight. Hopefully. If I remember.

  • Sorry I’ve been lurking for a while! too bad about the squares. I’m trying that one too this year – my friend tells me she has the exact recipe. If it works out I’ll pass it on. My FAVOURITE!!!!!!!!!!!!! treat at Christmas is a Cranberry Lime shortbread. I used a recipe as inspiration – but really just added the zest of one lime and about a cup of chopped cranberries to a squishy shortbread recipe (the kind with WAY too much butter) If that is the only thing I manage to bake this year – I will be totally satisfied. You’ve got to try it.

  • Bummer about the bars – they sound delicious.

    This year, it’s oatmeal raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies with TONS of icing, and snickerdoodles (which are awesome). Possibly gingerbread men, but I hate buying a jar of molasses to use 1/2 a cup. The recipes are from Joy of Cooking, which is a great cookbook.

  • I almost shot coffee out my nose when I read the “Sadberry Miss Bars” part.
    I hate it when a new recipe doesn’t live up to expectations.
    My favorite holiday cookies:
    http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Cranberry-Pumpkin-Cookies/Detail.aspx
    (but don’t use nuts – use dark chocolate chips instead!)

  • I’m not much of a baker, but I’m planning on making oatmeal chocolate chunk cookies and those pretzels with the melted hershey’s kiss and M%Ms on top. I hear you can’t screw them up, and they are always a hit.

  • oh no! Michael and I LOVE those and I’ve been looking for a good recipe to make my own. Let me know if you find a better one.

  • i just made the yummiest date squares. heavenly. my husband who doesn’t like date squares LOVED them…so i know they were good. let me know if you want the recipe.

  • So? Are you bringing me a sample tomorrow?

    ;)

    You know I love me some shortbread caramel squares…Mmmmmmmmmmmm

  • advice for the recipe – cut back on the eggs ( only use one if any) and the baking powder ( only half teaspoon). Both of those will make it more cake like and less dense and chewy

  • I’m going to be making maple fudge, the hard kind that melts in your mouth.

  • mmmmm…ill be over in 5 minutes for a piece and a diet coke :) haha

  • I have to get a recipe post going with all my classic holiday treats. Sorry it didn’t work out…

  • I made pumpkin chocolate chip bread that was heavenly (and fatty, of course). Next up is a chocolate souffle. Also somewhere along the way will be a pound cake and also some muffins. Lots of my healthier recipes come from Cooking Light, which I’m in love with.

    Oh, and I have a ton of Everyday Italian recipes to try out over the holidays.

    Let’s hope Weight Watchers still talks to me soon.

  • Hi Amanda, I too love the Cranberry Bliss Bar from
    Starbucks…..they are oh so good! I found something
    that may just be close enough….. go to:

    http://www.cookingcache.com/dessert/starbuckscranberryblissbar.
    shtml

  • Your creation looked very pretty…that has to count for something. This holiday I am going to be making some cupcakes for the kids’ parties, cookies shaped like the number “3” for my little one’s birthday, and good old fashioned cheeseballs–so easy and oh so yummy!

    Also, I meant to comment the other day–your hair looked absolutely amazing in the pictures from your holiday party evening. Nicely done with the whoorl curl!

  • You must you must you must make the most delicious simple muffins in the world. One can of pumpkin filling, 1/2 bag of chocolate chips, 1 package of spice cake mix (dry). Mix all three together…you will get a massive arm workout. Bake for 350 for 15 minutes and eat with a cup of delicious coffee and then you will smack your mama they are so freakin good and easy.

  • Sad day! Cranberry bliss bars are, well… bliss. They are one of my favorite parts of Christmas. I will say that yours looked very good in the picture, bummer when things don’t turn out as you had craved them to be.

  • My friend told me this recipe is just like them…
    http://www.bakespace.com/index.php?mode=listing&act=show&lst_id=4384
    I haven’t tried them myself not sure how different it is from your recipe….

  • […] 10, 2007 in weekend The lovely Kickybootsmade a knock-off of Starbuck’s Cranberry Bliss Bars and even though they didn’t turn out […]

Comments are closed.