Gingerbread Bars #Recipe #MDRChristmas15

This time of year gives me thoughts of all the wonderful tastes and smells of the season.  Top of my list is eggnog and gingerbread.  Though I am not a huge fan of the hard gingerbread that the houses are built from, I do love the taste in coffee and in other desserts.  These Gingerbread bars have a cream cheese icing and are soft and delicious.  They are a dessert best served the next day after refrigerating them.  Enjoy!!!

 

To make Gingerbread bars you will need:

• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin spices
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Frosting:

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup butter softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9 x 13 inch baking dish.

In a large bowl cream the butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and molasses. Then add your egg and stir until it is completely incorporated.

Add the flour to the mixture, and the baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin spices, nutmeg, and salt.

Stir until all combined.  Press the dough evenly into the baking dish.  You will need to gently press it with your fingers.

 Cook it for 15-20 minutes until the top looks nicely cooked.  Do not overcook — you want it to be moist not crispy.  Leave it sitting to cool completely before adding the frosting.

To make the frosting, I beat the heavy cream first with a whisk attachment on my hand mixer.  Then I added the softened butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla.  I changed the attachment on my mixer to the regular beater and beat the frosting until smooth.  

Using a rubber scraper I scraped the frosting out of the bowl and onto my bars.  Then I smoothed it over the whole baking dish.  Lastly I sprinkled the top with nutmeg.

Yummy!  These bars are a huge hit with my family.  I have also taken them to a ladies’ social and to a church potluck.  Many asked for the recipe and there were no left overs.  I hope your family enjoy these Gingerbread bars as much as mine do.  They may even end up being a new family tradition.

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