Gingerbread Bars w/Cream Cheese Icing
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon McCormick® Ground Ginger
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 3 tablespoons water
- 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
- 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line 13x9-inch baking pan with foil.
- Spray foil with no stick cooking spray.
- Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Beat butter and 3/4 cup of the sugar in large bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg until well blended.
- Gradually beat in flour mixture until well mixed.
- Stir in molasses and water just until blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan.
- Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until smooth.
- Beat in remaining 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Reserve 1/2 cup of the icing; refrigerate remaining icing.
- Spoon dollops (about 1 teaspoon each) of the reserved icing over batter in pan. With knife or spatula, swirl icing through batter to marbleize.
- Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Cool in pan 15 minutes.
- Lift out of pan using foil.
- Cool completely on wire rack.
- Invert and peel off foil.
- Spread refrigerated icing over bars.
- Cut into bars.
- Store in refrigerator