Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Icing
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
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Jump to Recipe Are ginger/molasses cookies totally just Christmas cookies? Cause it’s not even Thanksgiving and I’ve been craving these since….umm…June?! Actually, since me and a few of my blogging…
Ingredients
- 2 cups + 2 Tbsp (300g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces, melted and cooled slightly
- 1 cup (220g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) unsulphured molasses
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, nearly at room temperature (I like to use 1/4 c salted butter 1/4 c unsalted)
- 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
- 2 1/2 cups (325g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, blend together butter, brown sugar and molasses until combined.
- Mix in egg and vanilla extract. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix until combined. Fold batter with a spatula as needed until batter appears to be evenly incorporated.
- Pour dough into prepared baking dish and spread and press into an even layer using your hands.
- Bake in preheated oven until bars have baked through, about 14 - 17 minutes (be careful not to over-bake). Transfer baking dish to a wire rack and let bars cool completely.
- For the cream cheese frosting: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter and cream cheese until smooth.
- Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until light and fluffy*. Spread frosting over cooled bars.
- Cut into squares. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.