On The Menu: Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe for Gingerbread Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting is the perfect holiday recipe. These bars are easy to make and they smell and taste delicious. The warm spices make this gingerbread the perfect companion to a huge mug of hot chocolate. When I removed the pan from the oven I was worried my bars would be too hard but they had the perfect texture. I made mid-week and they had totally vanished within a couple days.

Ingredients:
½ cup butter, melted
¾ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
⅓ cup molasses
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 ounces cream cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease a 9×13″ baking pan and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and molasses.
4. Add egg and stir until completely incorporated.
5. Add baking soda, flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and salt and mix until well combined. Press dough evenly into the bottom of greased pan.
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes and let cool. Do not over cook.

Directions for Cream Cheese Frosting:
1. Cream butter and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and beat until smooth and cream.
3. Frost the tops of cooled Gingerbread Cookie Bars.
4. Cut into squares and serve.
5. Garnish with a little nutmeg.

Recipe obtained from here.