Lighter Cranberry Crave Bars




Starbucks released their holiday menu yesterday and on it are their ever popular Cranberry Bliss Bars. In anticipation of their release I created a LIGHTER, GF, small batch version.
 

ABOUT THE BARS: 


They’re a bit like an oatmeal cookie that’s spread with an orange scented cream cheese frosting, adorned with drops of homemade cranberry sauce and then drizzled with some white chocolate for “effect”. To make them lower carb, the base is a blend of almond flour and oats. Light cream cheese is used in the frosting. Aromatic orange zest and juice is incorporated into the cookie base and frosting; cranberry sauce adds a little tang. To pull everything together, a drizzle of white chocolate sweetened with Stevia is used. 

--These are LIGHTER than the Starbucks version. 
--Easy to make because the cookie base is made in a blender. 
--And they’re a small batch of 4 bars for portion control.  

RECIPE:


Makes 4 bars
Per bar: 144 cals/4g total fat/.1g sat fat/33g carbs/.7g fiber/16.7g sugar/1.2g protein


RECIPE NOTES: 


  • I make the cranberry sauce and frosting a day ahead and store in fridge. Bring to room temperature before assembly
  • You’ll have some leftover cranberry sauce. I made the smallest amount possible
  • You can use all granulated sugar but nutritional info will change
  • I made a white chocolate glaze by melting 1/2 tbs white chocolate chips with a smidge of gee 
  • Store in refrigerator

BARS:


1/2 cup oats [use GF if needed]
1/4 cup + 2 tbs blanched almond flour
2 tbs Swerve granular
2 tbs granulated sugar [can sub coconut sugar]
3-5 tbs unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp orange zest
1 tsp orange juice

Preheat oven to 350 F. Add oats to blender and create a flour. Then add sugars, ginger, zest and orange juice. Blend. Add mixture to a small bowl. Slowly add apple sauce until a stiff but sticky dough forms. Pat this into a standard loaf pan lined with parchment paper and greased with cooking spray. Bake for 20 mins or until cooked through. All to cool completely.

FROSTING:

[Increase sugar if you'd like it sweater]
2 oz light cream cheese, room temperature [about 1/4 cup]
1 1/2 tbs each of Truvia powdered sugar
1 1/2 tbs powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp orange juice 
1/2 tsp orange zest [start with 1/4 tsp and adjust to preference, I used 1/2 tsp]

In a small bowl, first break up the cream cheese with an electric mixer until lighter. Sift in the sugars, add the vanilla, orange juice and zest. Beat until smooth. 

CRANBERRY SAUCE:


3/4 cups fresh cranberries
1/4 cup sugar
2, 3 inch orange or clementine peels [with no white pith]  
2 tbs water

Combine ingredients in medium size sauce pan on medium heat. Allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. Use a masher to break up the whole cranberries for a softer texture if you like. Allow this to cool completely. 

ASSEMBLY:

  1. Frost the bars
  2. Using a teaspoon add 6 dollops of cranberry sauce evenly spaced over top to the frosted layer and slightly drag to make a marbled pattern
  3. Cut into 4 bars by slicing in half and then making a triangle out of the halves.
  4. Melt 1/2 tbs Lily’s white chocolate chips with a tiny amount of gee. Drizzle over top. I like to use a zip top bag with the end snipped for a nice effect.

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