Gingerbread Bars with Lemon
Cream Cheese Icing

Yield: 27 bar cookies

Ingredients

Bars

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons water

Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon pure lemon extract

Instructions

1. Line a 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan with foil. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cream butter in large mixer bowl.
3. Beat in 3/4 cup sugar, egg, ginger, and cinnamon.
4. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add to butter mixture and mix well.
5. Stir in molasses and water; mix until just blended.
6. Spread in prepared pan.
7. Beat cream cheese in a large mixer bowl until smooth.
8. Stir in confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and lemon extract; beat until smooth.
9. Using 1/2 cup icing, spoon dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) over batter in pan.
10. With a knife, swirl icing through ginger base with 3 to 4 large strokes in each direction to marbleize.
11. Refrigerate remaining icing.
12. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes or until batter begins to pull away from edges.
13. Cool completely.
14. Spread icing over bars. Cut using a sharp knife.
15. Store in refrigerator.

Nutrition

Calories: 131, Fat: 7g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 117mg, Carbohydrates: 16g, Fiber: 0g, Protein: 1g