Iced Gingerbread Bars

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• 2 line 13×9-inch baking pan with foil.
• 3 spray foil with no stick cooking spray.
• 4 mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• 5 beat butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy.
• 6 beat in egg until well blended.
• 7 gradually beat in flour mixture until well mixed.
• 8 stir in molasses and water just until blended.
• 9 spread evenly in prepared pan.
• 10 beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth.
• 11 beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
• 12 reserve 1/2 cup of the icing; refrigerate remaining icing.
• 13 spoon dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) of the reserved icing over batter in pan.
• 14 with knife or spatula, swirl icing through batter to marbleize.
• 15 bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. cool in pan 15 minutes.
• 16 lift out of pan using foil.
• 17 cool completely on wire rack.
• 18 invert and peel off foil.
• 19 spread refrigerated icing over bars.
• 20 cut into bars.
• 21 store in refrigerator.