These cookie bars are adapted from a King Arthur Flour recipe.  It makes one 8-inch pan and takes a total of about 1-1/2 hours including cooling time.

For the gingerbread bars

150 g. (1-1/4 cups) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground allspice

¼ tsp. ground nutmeg

¼ tsp. ground cloves

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. table salt

6 Tbs. unsalted butter

6 Tbs. molasses

½ cup packed dark brown sugar

1 large egg at room temperature, beaten

1 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

Pinch of salt

4 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened

½-1 tsp. water or milk (I used milk)

Optional sprinkles (I used gingerbread sprinkles)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line with an 8 inch wide strip of baking parchment long enough to make a sling for the dough.

Mix together in a medium bowl the dry ingredients.

In a second medium bowl, microwave the butter until just barely melted.  Mix in the molasses and brown sugar.  After checking that the mixture is cool, mix in the egg and vanilla.  Mix together the wet and dry ingredients into a smooth batter and pour into the pan.  Use a spatula to make sure the batter covers the pan evenly and gets into the corners.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Cool the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes and then remove the gingerbread from the pan using the baking parchment as a sling.  Put the gingerbread on the cooling rack to fully cool.

In the bowl of a standing mixer, mix together the confectioner’s sugar and salt.  Cut the butter into little pats and add them to the bowl.  Beat the sugar and butter until combined into an even paste.  Beat in water or milk until it reaches a spreadable consistency.  Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled gingerbread.  If using sprinkles, put them evenly over the frosting and press them in.  Cut into bars to serve.