soft gingerbread cookie bars

This was a recipe that I found online.  It makes a bar cookie with the same flavor as a soft gingersnap.  It is frosted with a yummy cream cheese frosting.  I made mine in the food processor, but it would work equally well to mix it in the stand mixer or the portable mixer or it could be mixed by hand like our grandmothers did.

sugar, brown sugar and butter in the food processor

add an egg

molasses and vanilla

I used the homemade vanilla from my sister

ready for the dry ingredients

I use whole nutmeg freshly shaved with a microplane

The rest of the spices join the nutmeg on the sheet of parchment

flour and spices in the food processor

The finished dough divided to make two smaller pans

parchment folded to fit the pan and brushed with pan coat

The soft dough is pressed into the pans

when baked and cooled the frosting is applied with an off set spatula

use the parchment to lift the bars out and then peel off the parchment

Yep.  They're good.

Dusted with a little more nutmeg, this pan went into town for Dad's Day.

soft gingerbread cookie bars

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

3/4 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup molasses

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp cloves

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups all purpose flour 

1 tsp baking soda

cream cheese frosting 

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup confectioners sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325°.  Prepare two 8 inch square pans or one small jelly roll pan (9x12x1) by lining them with parchment paper that ha been greased or sprayed.  I left parchment sticking up on two sides to use for handles to lift out the baked bars.

Cream together the butter and sugars.  Add add and mix.  Add vanilla and molasses and mix well.  Combine spices and dry ingredients and combine until thoroughly incorporated.  Divide the dough into two parts and press one part into each of the pans if using two pans or press all of the dough into the single pan if using one.  Bake 20-22 minutes or until edges just start to brown.  Cool completely.  While bars are cooling combine the frosting ingredients and whip until smooth.  Spread frosting over bars and cut into squares.

recipe adapted slightly from here