Spice Bars Recipes

APPLESAUCE SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Combine sugar, 1/3 cup butter and egg in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy. Add all remaining ingredients except raisins. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Stir in raisins.
• Spoon batter into prepared pan. Bake 25-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely.
• Combine all frosting ingredients except pecans in bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until smooth.
• Frost cooled bars; sprinkle with pecans. Cut into bars.

SOFT SPICE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine butter, 1 cup sugar and molasses. Beat in egg until smooth. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt; stir into the molasses mixture. , Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining sugar. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Equipment: One 10 by 15 by 1-inch pan buttered and lined with parchment or foil
• Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, spices and salt. Stir well to mix and sift the dry ingredients onto a piece of parchment or waxed paper.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar on low speed until just mixed. Beat in the chocolate, then the eggs, one at a time, beating smooth between each addition. Beat in the dry ingredients, scraping bowl and beater(s) several times. Off the mixer, fold in the chopped nuts. Scrape the batter onto the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset metal icing spatula or a rubber spatula.
• Bake the bars for about 30 minutes, until firm, but not dry. Cool in the pan on a rack. Trim 1/8-inch from the edges and cut the cooled sheet into 2- inch squares, using a sharp, thin-bladed knife.
• Storage: Keep the bars between sheets of waxed paper in a tin or other container with a tight-fitting cover.

ALMOND SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang; coat with cooking spray. Bring the honey and granulated sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Remove from the heat and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in the cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg; let cool slightly, 10 minutes.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Quickly stir the beaten egg into the honey-sugar mixture with a rubber spatula, then add the almonds, orange peel, vanilla, lemon zest and 1 tablespoon liqueur. Stir in the flour mixture until combined (the dough will be stiff and dry). Scrape into the prepared pan. Lightly coat a piece of plastic wrap with cooking spray and use to press the dough into an even layer. Set aside 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the bars until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes.
• Make the glaze: Whisk the confectioners' sugar, orange juice and remaining 1 tablespoon
• liqueur in a bowl until smooth. Brush the warm bars with some of the glaze; cover the remaining glaze and set aside. Let the bars cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cutting board. Cut into 1-by-2 1/2-inch bars and let cool completely on a rack.
• Drizzle the bars with the remaining glaze; top with candied orange peel.

SPICE BARS WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
• Place the raisins and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, and cook for 3 minutes. Drain, and reserve the liquid. Set aside to cool slightly.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; stir into the batter alternately with the raisin water. Set aside 1/4 cup of the raisin liquid to use for the frosting. Mix in raisins last. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is lightly browned. While the cake is baking, stir together the reserved raisin water, maple extract and confectioners' sugar to make a thin glaze. Pour over the cake while still hot. Cool, then cut into squares to serve.

SPICE CAKE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in molasses and water until blended. Combine the flour, ginger, allspice, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to the creamed mixture. , Pour into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. , Meanwhile, in a small bowl, beat shortening, butter and lemon juice until smooth. Beat in sugar until light and fluffy. Frost bars.

SPICED APPLE BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in apple and nuts. , Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut into bars.

SPICED PUMPKIN BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin and applesauce. Stir into the dry ingredients., Spread into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned (do not overbake). Cool on a wire rack before cutting. Dust with confectioners' sugar if desired.

PUMPKIN SPICE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
• Grease a jelly roll pan (large baking sheet with a small edge all the way around).
• In a large bowl using a mixer, at low speed blend cake mix with salad oil, eggs, and pumpkin.
• Blend until moistened.
• Then mix at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Pour into prepared pan; bake until top is firm to touch; about 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, at low speed beat cream cheese, vanilla and cinnamon.
• Add confectioners sugar; beat until smooth.
• spread evenly over completely cooled cake.
• Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
• To serve, cut in 2 inch bars.