Cinnamon Spice Bars Recipe

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Cinnamon Spice Bars will fill your home and belly with the smells and tastes of Fall! Not to mention the amazing cream cheese frosting that goes on top.

Cinnamon, spice, and everything nice. That’s what these bars are made of.

It’s an incredibly simple recipe. There aren’t many bells and whistles here– no chocolate chips or nuts, no ribbons of caramel, no hidden cookies or candy bars. Just the good stuff, plain and simple. Butter, molasses, and brown sugar are the main flavor contributors, and the simplicity of this recipe really allows them to shine through.

And the cream cheese frosting only makes it so much better (doesn’t it always?!). It balances the the spice of the cinnamon perfectly, keeping each bite in perfect yin and yang.

If you’re a cinnamon fan, these bars are for you! I found the recipe on Betty Crocker (this isn’t a sponsored post, but you should definitely check out my other Betty posts for some exceptionally yummy treats), and their version includes ginger. I really can’t stand ginger, so I decided to leave it out and add pumpkin-pie spice instead. But I’ve been thinking that I bet these would taste an awful lot like gingerbread if you did use the ginger, so…. there’s that. If you’re a gingerbread fan anyway.

Cinnamon Spice Bars will fill your home and belly with the smells and tastes of Fall! Not to mention the amazing cream cheese frosting that goes on top.

I know it’s not quite Fall yet. But if you whip up a batch of these tonight, your kitchen won’t know the difference. The cinnamon smell makes you feel all warm and cozy no matter what season you’re in, and that’s never a bad thing.

Happy (almost) Fall y’all!

Cinnamon Spice Bars will fill your home and belly with the smells and tastes of Fall! Not to mention the amazing cream cheese frosting that goes on top.

Cinnamon Spice Bars

Yield: 16-20 bars

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup butter, softened or melted
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup molasses
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp salt

For the Frosting:

  • 16 ounces cream cheese (2 bricks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare 9x13 baking dish by lining it with parchment or foil and lightly spraying with a non-stick cooking spray.
  2. Use a hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar together. Mix in the egg. Mix in the molasses.
  3. Gradually mix in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
  4. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  5. Let cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Use an electric mixer to beat together the cream cheese and sugar (it won't be grainy after the mixture rests for a few minutes, don't worry). Spread the frosting on the cooled bars.
  2. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

 

 

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19 thoughts on “Cinnamon Spice Bars Recipe”

  1. I actually have a dense, thick, gingerbread bar recipe that I thought of instantly when I saw these pics before I ever read what you wrote about the ginger. I loved those bars of mine and these look just like them, minus the ginger, and I know I’d love yours SO MUCH! That really dense texture is just so me! And the frosting, let’s put that on top of everything! 🙂 pinned of course!

    Reply
  2. These bars look absolutely incredible. I can taste the cinnamon already.

    I promised myself that I wouldn’t make any autumn desserts until the real first day of fall comes around. It’s still crazy hot and humid in New Orleans and I’m scared that my first taste of fall is going to make me depressed waiting for the cooler temps to come!

    Reply
  3. Wow. I don’t usually sit and “inhale” baked goods but I just finished my 4th one – these are my new go-to. I want to try them without the frosting, too.

    Reply

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